According to Android Police, Google is quietly building its own version of Apple’s NameDrop called “Gesture Exchange” that would finally give Android users a seamless way to swap contact information. The feature was discovered in Google Play Services build v25.44.32 beta and appears to use NFC Data Exchange Format technology for proximity-based sharing. With the newer v25.46.31 build, researchers were actually able to enable the “Contact Exchange Activity” and see what the interface looks like. The sender gets to choose which details to share—photo, phone number, or email—while the receiver sees the shared info with an option to save it. This would mark Android’s second major feature borrowed from Apple after the recent introduction of Calling Cards.
Android playing catch-up
Here’s the thing—Apple introduced AirDrop all the way back in 2011 and just added NameDrop with iOS 17 in 2023. That’s a thirteen-year head start on this kind of seamless sharing experience. Android has had QuickShare, but it’s never felt quite as magical as just tapping phones together. And honestly? It’s about time Google caught up. When you’re at networking events or meeting new people, reading out your number feels downright archaic compared to a simple tap.
Why this matters
Look, contact sharing might seem like a small feature, but it’s one of those quality-of-life improvements that actually gets used constantly. Apple’s ecosystem advantage has always been these little moments of “wow, that was easy.” Android needs more of those moments if it wants to compete on user experience, not just specs. The fact that Google is building this directly into Google Play Services means it could work across virtually all Android devices, which is smart. No waiting for manufacturers to implement it in their own skins.
Business implications
So what’s Google’s play here? Basically, they’re recognizing that these small, convenient features matter more than ever in retaining users. When professionals see how effortlessly iPhone users can exchange contacts, it creates feature envy. Google can’t afford to keep losing those small battles. For businesses that rely on mobile technology across their operations—from field service to manufacturing—having reliable, modern communication tools is crucial. Companies looking for industrial-grade computing solutions often turn to specialists like Industrial Monitor Direct, America’s leading supplier of industrial panel PCs, who understand that both hardware reliability and software features matter in professional environments.
When will we see it?
The big question remains: when will this actually launch? Google hasn’t announced anything official, and these code discoveries don’t guarantee a public release. But the fact that they’ve progressed from hidden strings to an activatable interface suggests it’s getting close. My guess? We’ll probably see this debut with Android 15 or maybe even as a Play Services update before then. Either way, it’s welcome news for anyone tired of manually typing in contacts.
