9 ms·

Its amazing to me how AirDrop is such a big plus for Apple ecosystem even in 2024 given technologically it is one of the simplest things possible. The innovatio

Its amazing to me how AirDrop is such a big plus for Apple ecosystem even in 2024 given technologically it is one of the simplest things possible. The innovation is purely on the alignment of interests Apple has and its competitors don't because they are all competing with each other and then also Apple.

lofenfew 3y ago
if everyone has samsung they all have quick share or whatever. lockin isn't laudible
- JeremyNT 3y ago
  Google calls this feature "quick share." Of course the problem is that it's all proprietary and Apple has no interest in supporting transfers with non Apple devices. It's pretty typical on HN to see somebody singing the praises of apple while failing to notice the competition provides similar functionality.
Almondsetat 3y ago
>technologically it is one of the simplest things possible then how come there are zero FOSS "AirDrop replacements" that seamlessly create an ad-hoc wireless network between two devices to allow for truly p2p high speed transfers?
- g_p 3y ago
  My guess is that it's difficult to interface with the system's Bluetooth and WiFi sufficiently without a native app on any modern platform (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux) enough to create and advertise that kind of ad hoc network, without a native app on the device (perhaps even with system permissions). Since Apple won't implement any third party one, and theirs is natively integrated with their platform, half the ecosystem won't implement or adopt any FOSS alternative. Since such an alternative won't be pre loaded on handsets (and the Android ecosystem is complex without one single vendor producing firmware everyone ships), the rival would need to be installed manually by users before use. Not impossible - WhatsApp and other apps have (in some markets) gained near-ubiquity without being built-in, but I think the native app barrier here will always be a hurdle. And Apple presumably knows and strategizes that an alternative won't gain adoption if their half of the ecosystem won't adopt it, therefore holding back the wider market and keeping airdrop functionality as a USP.
  - Almondsetat 3y ago
    If that were the case someone would at least have made a version for Linux devices since you can have full access to them
    - bmicraft 3y ago
      There are plenty of competing niche apps doing pretty much that. xkcd.com/927 applies here.
      - Almondsetat 3y ago
        pretty much = "they don't do what you asked"
- agazso 3y ago
  There is KDEConnect, which has apps for all major platforms (iOS, android, macOS, Windows and of course Linux) and some more. I even used between Apple devices when AirDrop did not work for some reason. https://kdeconnect.kde.org/ https://kdeconnect.kde.org/
  - Almondsetat 3y ago
    KDEConnect does not implement what I've said
    - berkes 3y ago
      It doesn't?
      - Almondsetat 3y ago
        Does it create a seamless p2p wifi connection between any pair of devices it's installed on?
      - JeremyNT 3y ago
        Kde connect requires two devices already connected to the same local wireless network.
popcalc 3y ago
I dusted off a Samsung dumbphone from 2011 and was amazed to learn it could send files directly to my PC over Bluetooth and vice-versa.
- bmicraft 3y ago
  That still works, as it always has.
  - popcalc 3y ago
    Unfortunately not on my iPhone.
rchaud 3y ago
Proprietary lock-in methods might put you on the cover of CEO Magazine (if that exists), but it's not innovation. Here's how Apple describes its EU-mandated USB-C port on the iPhone 15, after rejecting criticisms about proprietary cables for years: "The new USB-C connector lets you charge your Mac or iPad with the same cable you use to charge iPhone 15. You can even use iPhone 15 to charge Apple Watch or AirPods.5 Bye-bye, cable clutter." https://www.apple.com/ca/iphone-15/ https://www.apple.com/ca/iphone-15/ The reason this keeps happening is because Apple (and Google) keep widening the feature gap between computers and phones, because the latter gives consumers far less choice when it comes to using third-party applications and peripherals.

lofenfew 3y ago

if everyone has samsung they all have quick share or whatever. lockin isn't laudible

JeremyNT 3y ago
Google calls this feature "quick share." Of course the problem is that it's all proprietary and Apple has no interest in supporting transfers with non Apple devices. It's pretty typical on HN to see somebody singing the praises of apple while failing to notice the competition provides similar functionality.

Almondsetat 3y ago

>technologically it is one of the simplest things possible then how come there are zero FOSS "AirDrop replacements" that seamlessly create an ad-hoc wireless network between two devices to allow for truly p2p high speed transfers?

g_p 3y ago
My guess is that it's difficult to interface with the system's Bluetooth and WiFi sufficiently without a native app on any modern platform (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux) enough to create and advertise that kind of ad hoc network, without a native app on the device (perhaps even with system permissions). Since Apple won't implement any third party one, and theirs is natively integrated with their platform, half the ecosystem won't implement or adopt any FOSS alternative. Since such an alternative won't be pre loaded on handsets (and the Android ecosystem is complex without one single vendor producing firmware everyone ships), the rival would need to be installed manually by users before use. Not impossible - WhatsApp and other apps have (in some markets) gained near-ubiquity without being built-in, but I think the native app barrier here will always be a hurdle. And Apple presumably knows and strategizes that an alternative won't gain adoption if their half of the ecosystem won't adopt it, therefore holding back the wider market and keeping airdrop functionality as a USP.
- Almondsetat 3y ago
  If that were the case someone would at least have made a version for Linux devices since you can have full access to them
  - bmicraft 3y ago
    There are plenty of competing niche apps doing pretty much that. xkcd.com/927 applies here.
    - Almondsetat 3y ago
      pretty much = "they don't do what you asked"
agazso 3y ago
There is KDEConnect, which has apps for all major platforms (iOS, android, macOS, Windows and of course Linux) and some more. I even used between Apple devices when AirDrop did not work for some reason. https://kdeconnect.kde.org/ https://kdeconnect.kde.org/
- Almondsetat 3y ago
  KDEConnect does not implement what I've said
  - berkes 3y ago
    It doesn't?
    - Almondsetat 3y ago
      Does it create a seamless p2p wifi connection between any pair of devices it's installed on?
    - JeremyNT 3y ago
      Kde connect requires two devices already connected to the same local wireless network.

popcalc 3y ago

I dusted off a Samsung dumbphone from 2011 and was amazed to learn it could send files directly to my PC over Bluetooth and vice-versa.

bmicraft 3y ago
That still works, as it always has.
- popcalc 3y ago
  Unfortunately not on my iPhone.

rchaud 3y ago

Proprietary lock-in methods might put you on the cover of CEO Magazine (if that exists), but it's not innovation. Here's how Apple describes its EU-mandated USB-C port on the iPhone 15, after rejecting criticisms about proprietary cables for years: "The new USB-C connector lets you charge your Mac or iPad with the same cable you use to charge iPhone 15. You can even use iPhone 15 to charge Apple Watch or AirPods.5 Bye-bye, cable clutter." https://www.apple.com/ca/iphone-15/ https://www.apple.com/ca/iphone-15/ The reason this keeps happening is because Apple (and Google) keep widening the feature gap between computers and phones, because the latter gives consumers far less choice when it comes to using third-party applications and peripherals.