Google’s Nearby Participation feature in Android is an easy way to share links, photos, and more with friends and family. Now you can also take advantage of a new feature that allows you to easily share Android apps.
Near Share, which was first announced in late 2020 and is widely available today, lets you share Google Play apps with other Android users. The coolest thing is that you do not need a cellular or Wi-Fi connection to work near Share.
“Simply open Google Play, go to the ‘Share apps’ menu in ‘My apps and games,’ select the apps you want to share, and let your friend accept the incoming apps,” Google said in December.
Screenshots via 9to5Google
Close sharing is a smart way to share your favorite shows and games with friends and family. This is the type of quality of life feature that takes the friction out of fumbling through menus and worrying about Wi-Fi connections. It’s thanks to features like these that Google’s Close Share has turned into an excellent alternative to Apple’s AirPlay.
According to 9to5Google, which could test the new feature in a nearby share, sending apps to friends is ‘shockingly fast’ and can be faster than sharing via your internet connection at home. Once you share an app with someone, they can install it without leaving the share menu. You can then disconnect devices.
Whether you’re not near a Wi-Fi connection or approaching your mobile data pack, it’s a great option to use a nearby part to send apps. Of course, everyone close to who you share should be close. Next time you have a meeting with your closest friends and family, try sharing an app or two. And do not worry, you can choose to share which contacts (all, some or none) you can see immediately when the feature is activated.