Android's open-source nature makes it difficult for phones from different OEMs to play well with each other unless Google steps in and makes changes to Android or GMS (Google Mobile Services). This is exactly what happened in the case of Nearby Share, which allows easier sharing of files between different Android devices. While we wouldn't go as far as to say it works just as well Apple's AirDrop, Nearby Share v2.0 is getting a bunch of improvements that could help close the gap.

Firstly, the upcoming update has an Everyone mode, which will let you share files with anyone around you, and not just people from your contacts. This could come in handy if you need to share something with someone you don't know that well. To make sure this doesn't cause any security issues, there's also a Temporary mode that automatically switches back to Contacts after five minutes.

With this new version, tapping the Nearby Share quick setting tile will open a UI that will let you switch between visibility options. That's not all — multi-user sharing is also coming, and it'll allow you to share the same files to multiple devices, though not simultaneously.

A Google software engineer working on Nearby Share confirms (via Reddit) that all these features found by 9to5Google are going to be part of version 2.0. From what the individual has to say, it may be a while before we see the update go live — there are two more patches planned before v2.0. And yes, the team may also bring the feature to Chrome desktop.

Source: 9to5Google, Reddit

Thanks: Armando