Transferring data between different phones can be a hassle, but with the rise of native features like Apple’s Airdrop, Samsung’s Quick Share, and Google’s Nearby Share, it’s worth checking which one of them is the fastest. In this article, we’ll be exploring a speed test conducted by Ahmed from In-Depth Tech Reviews to see how each feature will perform.
Ahmed used the 12 Pro Max and the 11 Pro Max to test Airdrop, and the S21 Ultra and the S10 Plus to test Quick Share and Nearby Share. All phones were on the latest software available at the time of filming this test. While the Pro Max and 11 Pro Max were on iOS 14.4.2, the S21 Ultra and S10 Plus were on the latest March 2021 update.
Ahmed used the same one gigabyte zip file in all rounds. Let’s start with Quick Share. The file was downloaded on internal storage in the download folder, and Quick Share took 31 seconds in total to transfer a one gigabyte zip file. The actual transfer started after seven seconds from tapping on the accept button. Ahmed tried to transfer the same file behind the scenes many times, and it took the exact same time to start the transfer.
Moving on to Nearby Share, it uses three different methods to transfer files. Ahmed tried all of them, and the first one is data. As per the description, it uses this option to transfer small files. However, Ahmed transferred a one gigabyte file, so he thinks it will ignore his choice, but it’s worth trying. Both phones had SIM cards, were on the same cellular network, and not connected to any Wi-Fi.
Using the data option, Nearby Share took 18 seconds to transfer the same file using the same hardware, which is 13 seconds faster than Quick Share. Now let’s try with the Wi-Fi option, and both phones are not connected to any Wi-Fi network. By the way, Ahmed deleted any saved Wi-Fi network from both devices to make sure his home Wi-Fi would not be used.
With the Wi-Fi option, Nearby Share took 19 seconds, which is still faster than Quick Share by 12 seconds. Finally, Ahmed tried the without internet option, and he was still not connected to any Wi-Fi network. Again, Nearby Share took 19 seconds, which is the same as the Wi-Fi only option, making Nearby Share a lot faster than Quick Share.
Now, let’s compare both with Airdrop. Airdrop doesn’t have any special settings; it always uses a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection to transfer data. Airdrop took 18 seconds, which is exactly the same as the first round of Nearby Share.
Quick Share was the slowest at 31 seconds, and it used seven seconds to initiate the transfer. Nearby Share took an average of 18.5 seconds, which is almost the same as Airdrop. In conclusion, Nearby Share is the fastest native feature to transfer data between different phones.