For over a year now, Google has been hard at work on Nearby Sharing, a handy thanks to share things like files, contacts, and more with nearby Android devices — and Chrome. Today, the Google Play Store now offers the simplest example of Nearby Sharing, allowing you to share apps and updates between devices.
As first spotted by our APK Insight team in September, then made official by Google in December, the Play Store is now rolling out the power to share apps with nearby Android devices. so as to require advantage of the new functionality, it seems you would like to get on version 24.0 or newer of the Google Play Store.
To get started with Nearby Sharing, open the Google Play Store, tap the three-line menu button within the top corner, then tap “My apps & games.” On this page, you ought to see a couple of tabs along the highest , one among which should say “Share.” If you don’t see the Share tab, try waiting a couple of minutes, as we found it can take a touch of your time for the Play Store to enable the feature after the update.
On the Play Store’s new Share tab, you’ve got the choice to let your device either “Send” or “Receive” a specific Play Store app. no matter which option you select , you’ll got to give the Play Store access to your location, which is employed to work out which devices are nearby for sharing.
If you select to send an app, you’re delivered to an inventory of your Android apps that are able to be sent. Notably, not all apps are ready to be sent via Nearby Sharing. as an example , we were unable to share the Stadia app from one device to a different . Similarly, any apps that you’ve purchased , sideloaded, or aren’t publicly available within the Play Store can’t be shared with a close-by device.
Once you’ve chosen one or more apps to be sent, you’ll got to search for a receiving device, whether a lover or family member’s phone or a second device of your own, who has pressed the “Receive” button within the Play Store. Choose a recipient, and they’ll receive a pairing request, where you’ll both be shown a pairing code to make sure nobody has hijacked your session.
Once paired, the sharing begins, with transfer rates ramping up to be shockingly fast, likely better than many home internet connections. When the download completes, the recipient must press the “Install” button for every app or press “Install All” before they will enjoy their new or updated apps. Until either the sender or recipient taps the “Disconnect” button, the 2 devices are still connected and may share Play Store apps between one another , in both directions.
With data limits being strictly enforced in many parts of the planet — even within the US — the Play Store’s new Nearby Sharing options should bring an incredible thanks to conserve data or just be a faster thanks to show a lover a replacement game you’ve been playing.