WhatsApp recently tested a file-sharing feature akin to Quick Share, enabling file transfers between users. Now, the messaging app is taking this functionality to the next level by allowing wireless file sharing between Android and iPhone devices without using the internet.
This new feature, currently in development, aims to simplify file sharing. It leverages Bluetooth and nearby device features for secure, internet-free transfers.
WhatsApp Offline File Transfer From Android to iPhone – How It Might Work
According to WeBetaInfo, which regularly posts about WhatsApp beta features, this update was spotted in the iOS beta version of WhatsApp, introducing a tool called Nearby Share. This feature lets users share media content, documents, and other files using Wi-Fi Direct, enabling transfers between iPhones and between Android and iPhone devices.
The key difference for iOS WhatsApp users is the use of a QR code that needs to be scanned by the receiving user to initiate the file transfer. Although Nearby Share is currently limited to internal testing, Meta is expected to roll it out to all iPhone WhatsApp users soon.
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Earlier this year, WhatsApp tested the file transfer tool with Android beta users. The tool uses Bluetooth connectivity between devices, similar to the previously tested methods.
This new feature allows file sharing up to 2GB, which might become a popular alternative to sending files through chats once it is officially released.