Android and iPhone users can now share files, starting with the Pixel 10

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

The discussion revolves primarily around cross-platform device interoperability, user agency concerning file systems, and historical context of file sharing.

Here are the three most prevalent themes:

1. Frustration with Vendor Lock-in and Lack of Cross-Platform Interoperability

A significant portion of the discussion expresses annoyance that basic features, such as direct file transfer between major mobile ecosystems, were historically proprietary or non-existent, contrasting sharply with older, more open technologies.

Quote: "Vendor lock has been here forever." ("nebula8804")
Quote: "Twenty years later we're commemorating that Bluetooth File Exchange over WiFi is now interoperable between the only two major mobile OS as if it were a revolutionary technology. How backwards it is." ("rescbr")
Quote: "It’s still a classic Apple “the open standard sucks so build a proprietary one that’s great but only on iPhone”" ("Gigachad")

2. The Hostility of Mobile OSes (Especially iOS) Towards Traditional File System Access

Users frequently contrast the abstract, sandboxed file management of modern mobile operating systems (particularly iOS) with the direct file system access common on desktop or older mobile platforms, viewing this as a loss of user control.

Quote: "Apple likes to have far more control than that. The filesystem is the ultimate API, and it gives the user an enormous amount of control to take data, copy it, back it up, transform it, encrypt it, send it places, restore it, etc." ("rpdillon")
Quote: "I'll take care of cloud storage with SyncThing (or whatever) -- I'm the kind of guy that values being able to choose the parts." ("rpdillon")
Quote: "Ever since the iphone apple has been trying to make you believe files aren't a thing." ("creaturemachine")

3. The Role of Regulation (DMA) in Forcing Interoperability

There is speculation and belief that the recent implementation of cross-platform sharing (like Android Quick Share supporting AirDrop) is not voluntary but rather a response to regulatory pressure, specifically from the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Quote: "What are the chances that this is made possible because of the DMA?" ("averysmallbird")
Quote: "If implemntations have been around for a while but it only happened now, then it's 99% chance that's it's Apple backpedalling and trying to weasel their way around DMA." ("hu3")

🚀 Project Ideas

Cross-Platform File System Utility (FAT/exFAT Enabler)

Summary

A lightweight, installable utility (especially for mobile OSes like iOS) that transparently handles cross-platform filesystem differences (e.g., MacOS vs. Windows) for removable media or local directories.
Core Value: Eliminates the frustration of incompatible filesystems (netsharc, rconti) by providing native, transparent cross-OS compatibility, similar to how System 7 handled DOS disks (fmbb).

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Users needing to share data between disparate platforms (e.g., iOS/Android/Windows/Mac) via USB-C drives or SD cards.
Core Feature	OS-level hook/driver that enforces conversion or presentation layers for non-native filesystems, ensuring data integrity and readability across platforms. For iOS/Android, this would manifest as a system service integrating with the native Files app.
Tech Stack	Rust/C++ for low-level OS integration; FUSE layer for desktop equivalents; Swift/Kotlin wrappers for mobile APIs.
Difficulty	High (System-level integration across multiple OS cores is complex, especially on locked-down systems like iOS).
Monetization	Hobby

Notes

"The real problem is users actively choose to use FAT/FAT32/whatever on USB keys and SD cards for compatibility." This tool makes that choice invisible and universal, solving the underlying need for cross-platform compatibility without user intervention.
Could spark debate on the necessity of abstracting file systems vs. user education (babypuncher).

Open Standard Bluetooth File Transfer Utility (Cross-Platform)

Summary

A mandatory, simple, open-source utility/service for both iOS and Android (and maybe modern macOS/Windows) that implements the legacy, yet universally compatible, OBEX Bluetooth File Transfer Profile (or similar simple P2P standard).
Core Value: Restores simple, peer-to-peer file exchange between any two nearby devices without relying on AirDrop/Quick Share protocols or needing an internet connection or registration (Gys, rescbr).

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Users who need to quickly exchange files (even small ones) with strangers or users on incompatible platforms without installing proprietary apps or relying on cloud services (`emaro`).
Core Feature	Implement the Bluetooth File Transfer Profile (OBEX) natively or via an easily installable background service on both platforms, allowing arbitrary devices to discover and exchange files simply, regardless of contact status.
Tech Stack	Native Bluetooth APIs (CoreBluetooth/Android Bluetooth stack) with a focus on the standardized OBEX object exchange protocol.
Difficulty	Medium (Requires navigating strict permissions on iOS/Android to enable background Bluetooth discovery and transfer, but the protocol itself is well-defined).
Monetization	Hobby

Notes

Directly addresses the nostalgia and utility of file sharing before vendor lock-in ("Twenty years later we're commemorating that Bluetooth File Exchange over WiFi is now interoperable between the only two major mobile OS as if it were a revolutionary technology. How backwards it is." - rescbr).
If successful, its simplicity would be lauded by those frustrated by current complex, proprietary discovery methods.

Cross-Platform Device Integration API/Framework for Wearables

Summary

A standardized, approved, and open communication layer (like an evolved Pebble SDK) that enforces vendor-neutral APIs for non-standard peripherals (like smartwatches) to access core phone functions such as notifications, messaging, and background data tasks.
Core Value: Breaks down intentional barriers imposed by platform holders (like Apple) that restrict third-party hardware functionality (bhelkey), providing "freedom" to tinkerers and users of non-first-party hardware.

Details

Key	Value
Target Audience	Third-party hardware manufacturers (watch makers, niche accessory developers) and power users who want full functionality from their peripheral devices, regardless of the phone's ecosystem.
Core Feature	A set of documented, permission-gated IPC mechanisms allowing an external device (via Bluetooth/Wi-Fi) to read/write notifications, access contact data (securely hashed), and maintain background connections without the session constantly being terminated.
Tech Stack	Cross-platform SDK built on top of secure Bluetooth GATT profiles (perhaps leveraging insights from OpenDrop implementation for reliable connection management).
Difficulty	High (Requires deep access to OS-level APIs for notification interception and background tasks, which Apple strongly restricts).
Monetization	Hobby

Notes

This solves the "single use case" frustration: the ability to buy a third-party watch that integrates fully, which bhelkey details as being intentionally difficult on iOS.
Would appeal to the HN demographic that values "freedom itself" over proprietary polished experiences (tormeh, kakacik).