Your Android XR headset ought to have easy accessibility to cellphone recordsdata due to Fast Share

The primary headset operating Android XR, a brand new model of the Android working system designed for AR/VR gadgets, is ready to launch later this 12 months. Whereas Google has shared many particulars about Android XR, together with how apps will look and behave, the corporate hasn’t revealed a lot about how these new gadgets will combine with current Android {hardware}. As an illustration, how will customers seamlessly ship recordsdata to and from their Android XR headset with out taking it off?

The plain resolution is Android’s built-in file switch software, Fast Share. Nonetheless, Google hasn’t confirmed if Android XR will help this characteristic. Fast Share isn’t universally accessible throughout all Android variations, notably lacking from Google TV, Put on OS, and Android Automotive. Whereas these different platforms aren’t designed for productiveness, that’s not the case for Android XR.

Google envisions Android XR headsets, corresponding to Samsung’s Venture Moohan, being utilized by distant staff, designers, and different professionals who’ve restricted desk house, worth portability, or just need an infinite viewing canvas for apps. No matter their particular use case, these professionals will inevitably must switch recordsdata between their Android XR headset and their Android cellphone, pill, or PC. This possible explains why Google is engaged on bringing Fast Share help to Android XR.

Not too long ago, a Google engineer submitted a patch to the GitHub repository for Close by, the underlying library Fast Share makes use of to facilitate peer-to-peer connections. Titled “Assist XR gadgets for QuickShare DeviceType,” the patch provides “XR” as a brand new gadget kind supported by Fast Share.

This strongly suggests Google is including help for Android XR as a Fast Share goal. What stays unclear, although, is the event standing of a Fast Share shopper for Android XR. On condition that Android XR can run the identical purposes as Android telephones and tablets, Google possible wouldn’t must construct a wholly new Fast Share shopper. Nonetheless, Android XR’s distinctive interface necessities might necessitate some XR-specific UI optimizations. The intuitive nature of dragging and dropping recordsdata in digital actuality might make Fast Share really feel pure on Android XR, and hopefully, the expertise of receiving recordsdata shall be equally seamless.

Whereas an announcement of Fast Share help for Android XR at subsequent week’s I/O developer convention could be a shock, it’s not completely out of the realm of chance, particularly since Google has hinted at sharing some Android XR information. A extra possible announcement is Fast Share help for Android Automotive; the “automotive” gadget kind was added to Fast Share in October of final 12 months, however Google has but to formally roll out the characteristic to the platform. The corporate might additionally lastly unveil Fast Share help for iOS and macOS, although whether or not such a launch is deliberate for subsequent week stays unknown.