[SiDevesh]

Its amazing to me how AirDrop is such a big plus for Apple ecosystem even in 2024 given technologically it is one of the simplest things possible. The innovation is purely on the alignment of interests Apple has and its competitors don't because they are all competing with each other and then also Apple.

[lofenfew]

if everyone has samsung they all have quick share or whatever. lockin isn't laudible

[JeremyNT]

Google calls this feature "quick share." Of course the problem is that it's all proprietary and Apple has no interest in supporting transfers with non Apple devices.

It's pretty typical on HN to see somebody singing the praises of apple while failing to notice the competition provides similar functionality.

[Almondsetat]

>technologically it is one of the simplest things possible

then how come there are zero FOSS "AirDrop replacements" that seamlessly create an ad-hoc wireless network between two devices to allow for truly p2p high speed transfers?

[g_p]

My guess is that it's difficult to interface with the system's Bluetooth and WiFi sufficiently without a native app on any modern platform (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux) enough to create and advertise that kind of ad hoc network, without a native app on the device (perhaps even with system permissions).

Since Apple won't implement any third party one, and theirs is natively integrated with their platform, half the ecosystem won't implement or adopt any FOSS alternative.

Since such an alternative won't be pre loaded on handsets (and the Android ecosystem is complex without one single vendor producing firmware everyone ships), the rival would need to be installed manually by users before use.

Not impossible - WhatsApp and other apps have (in some markets) gained near-ubiquity without being built-in, but I think the native app barrier here will always be a hurdle. And Apple presumably knows and strategizes that an alternative won't gain adoption if their half of the ecosystem won't adopt it, therefore holding back the wider market and keeping airdrop functionality as a USP.

[Almondsetat]

If that were the case someone would at least have made a version for Linux devices since you can have full access to them

[bmicraft]

There are plenty of competing niche apps doing pretty much that. xkcd.com/927 applies here.

[Almondsetat]

pretty much = "they don't do what you asked"

[agazso]

There is KDEConnect, which has apps for all major platforms (iOS, android, macOS, Windows and of course Linux) and some more. I even used between Apple devices when AirDrop did not work for some reason.

https://kdeconnect.kde.org/

[Almondsetat]

KDEConnect does not implement what I've said

[berkes]

It doesn't?

[JeremyNT]

Kde connect requires two devices already connected to the same local wireless network.

[Almondsetat]

Does it create a seamless p2p wifi connection between any pair of devices it's installed on?

[rchaud]

Proprietary lock-in methods might put you on the cover of CEO Magazine (if that exists), but it's not innovation.

Here's how Apple describes its EU-mandated USB-C port on the iPhone 15, after rejecting criticisms about proprietary cables for years:

"The new USB-C connector lets you charge your Mac or iPad with the same cable you use to charge iPhone 15. You can even use iPhone 15 to charge Apple Watch or AirPods.5 Bye-bye, cable clutter."

https://www.apple.com/ca/iphone-15/

The reason this keeps happening is because Apple (and Google) keep widening the feature gap between computers and phones, because the latter gives consumers far less choice when it comes to using third-party applications and peripherals.

[popcalc]

I dusted off a Samsung dumbphone from 2011 and was amazed to learn it could send files directly to my PC over Bluetooth and vice-versa.

[bmicraft]

That still works, as it always has.

[popcalc]

Unfortunately not on my iPhone.