Google Files Go Faster Offline Sharing Takes On AirDrop

It might be hard to stomach for some, but Apple can be credited for some very convenient innovations that have become almost standard in the mobile market these days. One of the lesser known ones is perhaps AirDrop, an extremely simple and convenient way to send images and files between two iOS users. Now Google may have finally gotten on that train with the latest update to its Files Go app which brings, among other things, AirDrop-like fast offline file sharing.

Before and even after AirDrop, there are already many ways to share files wirelessly between two devices using a different range of technologies. Very few are as quick as AirDrop. Almost all have to be installed and some even require you to send the file through a remote server.

Files Go does away with the latter though, depending on what Android phone you have, you might have to install it first. It already had the ability to share files wirelessly without being connected to the Internet, but now it utilizes 5 GHz Wi-Fi direct to achieve speeds of 490 Mbps. AirDrop uses Wi-Fi Direct as well and is just as fast.

Going with the same theme of speed, Files Go makes it also easier to make a connection by having a dedicated "Share" tab and making connections faster. At the same time, file transfers are promised to be secure using encryption and by making sure you're actually sharing with the person you intend to share with.

Files Go, along with the other "Go" apps, has been designed to be used in markets where an Internet connection is at a premium. Being able to share files without such a connection is definitely a huge advantage. And being able to do so as fast as more expensive iPhones is going to be a bragging right.