Google tests a NameDrop-style Contact Exchange for Android, letting phones share a number or email with a tap using NFC/gestures. Leak spotted in Play Services.
© A. Krivonosov
Google is preparing its own NameDrop-style feature for Android, and early screenshots already hint at how it will look. The feature, currently called Contact Exchange, aims to make swapping contact details between two phones quick and effortless, mirroring the experience on iOS.
On iPhone, NameDrop works when you bring two devices close together; an animation plays and users choose whether to share details mutually or just receive the other person’s card. Google is now building a similar flow into Android: the latest version of Google Play Services exposes an early Contact Exchange interface that outlines the basics.
The leak indicates that users will be able to choose exactly what to share — a profile photo, phone number, or email — or switch to receive-only if they prefer not to send anything. A second screen shows the card received from the other person, along with buttons to add it to contacts, send a message, or start a video call.
The interface strongly echoes NameDrop in iOS, which is hardly surprising; both platforms routinely borrow good ideas from each other. It is not yet clear which underlying tech Google will settle on. Early code references suggest gestures and NFC handle the initial handshake between devices, while the actual transfer may ride over Bluetooth or Wi‑Fi.
Google also has not locked in a final name. Internal strings mention Gesture Exchange and Contact Exchange, and a more memorable label seems likely for the consumer release. The feature is still early, but its appearance in Play Services signals that a public rollout could arrive in a future Android update — a small, practical step that should make trading details far less awkward.