The Android Beam feature has been around for a few years now but it seems that not a lot of people have been using it. Perhaps that’s why Google has decided to remove this functionality with Android Q. The next major OS release is going to remove the Android Beam feature with no official replacement taking its place.
Google introduced Android Beam in 2011 with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Android has come a very long way since then. Those who do use Android Beam need not worry. They can get similar functionality by using many third-party apps. The company’s very own Google Files app offers a similar feature as well.
For those who don’t remember, Android Beam is a peer-to-peer file transfer technology which relies on NFC for the handshaking and on Bluetooth to actually transmit the data. The Google Files app has the ability to share files locally over Wi-Fi with speeds of up to 480Mbps. That’s quite a lot faster that what you can achieve on Bluetooth with Android Beam.
Google has already made the Android Q beta 3 available for almost two dozen devices, many of which are from other manufacturers. Android Q will be released to the public later this year.
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