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Copresence is Google’s version of AirDrop

• Egon Kilin
• November 4th, 2014

Copresence has just been leaked online, and it seems that Google is working towards integration with multiple mobile OS platforms. We don’t know what Copresence is yet, but the build has already been seen by developers. Some images of an iPhone and an Android phone have been depicted communicating with each other, which suggests that Copresence might be an AirDrop kind of platform for Android smartphones.

The Copresence service from Google is supposed to be able to communicate with nearby devices, regardless of what kind of platform the devices use. References to the Copresence service were found mostly in the Chromium bug tracker, and API has also been spotted. Still, we can’t say for sure what Copresence will end up doing once it is released. Some say that it might be a hybrid between AirDrop and Continuity, the new and improved features we’ve seen on Apple’s new iOS 8. In any case, Copresence looks like a cross-platform service, which would be a nice addition to the Google portfolio. A cross-platform service also promotes “friendship” between iOS and Android devices, which is an admirable, yet sneaky move from the Mountain View company.

Copresence will allegedly use location information and Bluetooth in order to identify near-by devices. If you are wondering how Copresence will be able to send information to an iOS device from an Android one, it will probably use Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi direct. Using these tools, Copresence should technically allow people to swap maps, photos, music, links and other useful data between devices. We can safely assume the Copresence will be integrated with Hangouts, and maybe even Gmail. Hangouts is the more likely service to integrate Copresence, since evidence has been uncovered in the Services APK of Google Play. Latest rumors say that Copresence should be introduced to the public in the following weeks, but no exact launch date has been given. Since we’re not even sure what the service will end up being, we are going to take these rumors with a grain of salt, and suggest you do the same. Until Copresence is officially announced, that is.