Being a tech journalist, I do know I ought to stay unbiased and deal with every smartphone model equally. Nonetheless, I’ve a mushy spot for Galaxy smartphones in my coronary heart (I am solely human, in spite of everything, identical to you guys). Sadly, your complete Galaxy S26 sequence supplied such minor upgrades over its predecessors that even the a part of me that normally favors Samsung units wasn’t satisfied. That modified yesterday, nevertheless, as Samsung formally confirmed that its newest Galaxy S sequence telephones will get Apple’s greatest characteristic, and I could not be extra enthusiastic about these units now.
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Galaxy S26+: save as much as $480 at Samsung
$619 99
$1099 99
$480 off (44%)
The Galaxy S26+ is right here, bringing improved software program and a extra highly effective processor. The machine can now be yours for as much as $480 off with eligible machine trade-ins. Customers additionally get 15% off the Buds 4 sequence with their buy. The official retailer provides you a $150 credit score for add-ons with out trade-ins.
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Transferring recordsdata to Apple units would grow to be a cakewalk
Many smartphones, together with these within the Galaxy S sequence, give powerful competitors to the iPhone within the images division. Nonetheless, relating to video recording, Apple units are far forward of any of their opponents. That stated, every time I have to switch a video that my pals have recorded on their iPhone to my Galaxy S25, I exploit completely different strategies.
I both ask them to ship the video to my WhatsApp by changing it right into a doc (to ensure its high quality is not misplaced throughout switch) or request that they add it to a cloud platform like Google Drive and share the hyperlink with me. Actually, neither choice could be very easy, and each take a whole lot of time.
However Samsung may lastly repair this ache level. Choi Gained-Joon, the COO of Samsung’s cellular division, lately stated in a press convention that the corporate will quickly introduce AirDrop help to the Galaxy S26 lineup by way of a software program replace. Whereas no concrete timeline was supplied for once we can count on the characteristic, it appears to be coming very quickly, as we have already heard about this improve a few occasions lately. A dependable tipster, chunvn8888, even shared earlier than the Galaxy Unpacked occasion that AirDrop compatibility might arrive on the Galaxy S26 sequence.
Because it’s more than likely a software program characteristic, it is anticipated to roll out to earlier Galaxy smartphones as properly, together with my Galaxy S25. Samsung might apparently comply with the identical method that Google adopted when introducing this improve to its Pixel telephones. It was first launched within the Pixel 10 sequence and has since been slowly made accessible to earlier Pixel fashions as properly.
As soon as my Galaxy S25 turns into appropriate with AirDrop, I am going to be capable of share recordsdata seamlessly and at sooner speeds with my Apple-using pals. I already get pleasure from this profit on my Pixel 10, and now I am actually excited to expertise it on my Samsung machine as properly.
Lastly, a motive to get the Galaxy S26
Utilizing AirDrop to switch recordsdata between two iPhones. | Picture by PhoneArena
Quickly after the Galaxy Unpacked occasion, certainly one of my pals who owns a Galaxy S24 reached out to me, asking why he ought to improve to the most recent Galaxy telephone. Actually, I could not consider any upgrades that may persuade him to purchase it.
The privateness show was undoubtedly out of the equation since it’s unique to the S26 Extremely variant, and his finances solely allowed him to get the vanilla choice. However the information of AirDrop help coming to the brand new Samsung telephones could possibly be motive sufficient for him to lastly take into account shopping for the S26.
All that stated, the characteristic is anticipated to land on the Oppo Discover X9 sequence as properly by the tip of this month. This clearly signifies that AirDrop, which was as soon as an Apple-exclusive characteristic, is not unique anymore and is now slowly being rolled out to completely different smartphone manufacturers.
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