Android Beam. There are lots of hidden feature on your Android mobiles, you are not aware of. Surprisingly, they are neither advertised by the manufacturers. Android Beam is one of the amazing underrated features you are not using to transfer data from Android to Android. Android Beaming service is a built-in feature in Android phones. Which can be used to transfer data across Android devices at high speed.
What is Android Beam and How does it Work?
Android Beam is a method to send files, data, video, images, Youtube videos, Apk files, and Web Url across Mobiles and Devices. Android Beam uses NFC(Near-field Communication) and Bluetooth to send and receive files from Android to Android or other NFC equipped devices.
User can send and received files and data just by bumping the devices. The method is also called “Beaming“.
First introduced in the year 2011, across mobile devices in order to send files and data across mobiles using NFC and Bluetooth.
Later, Google handled it to improved and relaunch it as a standalone app called “Bump“.
Beam and NFC were quite new for mobile users and due to less advertisement and complication of operations, it was not broad popular among users.
In such, Apple introduced AirDrop in 2013 with the latest update of iOS 7. Apple developed the “Beam technology” and equipped it to send data across NFC equipped devices using NFC and WiFi direct.
Previously the data transferred using Beam was taking place using NFC and Bluetooth but Apple improvised it to use wifi Direct instead of Bluetooth.
This improvisation made the Beaming way faster than before.
Later, Samsung introduced the Beaming feature to their mobiles phones and devices and named it S-Beam. Since then all the Samsung mobiles are equipped with Beam or S-Beam.
S-Beam uses the same technology of Beaming to send data across devices using the beam. As the Beaming was popular on Android mobiles, the technology was named Android Beam.
What are the benefits of Android Beam?
Before the development of Beam or Android Beam, the only way to transfer the data across mobiles was Bluetooth, Cloud Backup or copy-paste method using a PC via a wire.
What so ever the method you use to transfer the data from a mobile to another mobile, it was confusing time taking and a limited task.
You can’t send a URL or Youtube video using Bluetooth or other methods of data transfer. And Bluetooth is quite slow to transfer heavy and larger files to another device.
And transferring data using USB is not always possible.
Whereas, Beaming files, data, video, images, Youtube videos, Apk files, and Web Url across Mobiles and Devices is quite easy with NFC. You can transfer data from Android to Android using Beam on the go.
In addition, thee is no limitation of file and data type you can Beam to other Android. Upgrading to new Android mobiles, Sharing large videos, Share URL and Youtube videos are some tasks you can perform using Android Beam.
The benefit of using Android Beam is that it’s a quick and easy way to directly transfer data to another device, without having to upload it to cloud-based platforms such as Google Drive and Dropbox. The downside is that the device you’re beaming to needs to have an NFC sensor, and it needs to be right next to you.
Android Beam is also useful while upgrading to a new Android mobile. Instead of setting up the new Android device, you can use Android Beam to transfer data and settings from your old Android to the new one.
You don’t need any data plan or Wi-fi network to transfer data and settings using Android Beam.
Does My Android Support Android Beam?
- Go to Settings on your Android phone
- Navigate to more settings
- Under Wireless & Network, tap on more settings.
- Locate if you can find the NFC.
- Turn NFC on to send and receive the files using Android Beam.
However, this methods works for almost all Android to check NFC setting on the mobile but this may differ from Android version or Mobile manufacturer.
If you are using Samsung mobiles, you may find S Beam along with NFC.
If you can’t locate the NFC or Android Beam setting on your Android, chances are your Android is not equipped with NFC. But still, you can transfer data from Android to Android Wirelessly using some app available on Playstore.
Well, as we discussed above both the devices need NFC to transfer the data over Android Beam. SO, make sure to check for Android Beam on both the devices.
Next, you need to play or open the specific content you want to Beam to another Android device. Mobiles like HTC don’t have NFC settings but still, you can send the files using WiFi Direct on Android using apps.
In addition, you can use private cloud services like Google Cloud and KeepSafe private Cloud to backup your data and Transfer to another Android.
RELATED: Transfer Videos From Android to PC Using Wired and Wireless Method
How to use Android Beam to transfer data from Android to Android?
Transferring data using Android Beam is quite easy and don’t need any Android Beam apk or any third-party app. All you need an NFC compatible Android phone.
You can check by going in the settings if your phone has NFC. Follow the steps below to check if your phone has NFC.
RELATED: How to Send Long Videos From iphone to Android
How to Sending Files Using Android Beam?
Once you are ready with all setup and turned NFC/Android Beam on for both the devices. It’s time to start beaming the data using Android Beam.
Before you begin, you must locate the NFC sensor on your Android device. Usually, this senor is located at the sides of your mobile but the NFC sensor location may vary according to the make and model of the mobile.
Make sure to keep both Android phones back to back attached physically order to beam the data successfully.
Follow the steps below to perfectly beam the data using Android Beam. In order to send and receives data across Android mobiles there are two steps to follow:
- Connection Android Phones Using NFC
- Send and receive data from Android to Android
1. Connecting Android phones using NFC to beam data from Android to Android:
Once you have turned on NFC and S-Beam(In Samsung Mobiles) and ready to transfer data from Android to Android. It’s time to establish the connection both Android mobiles together.
Android devices don’t always have located the NFC sensor in the same position, means you may need to move the back of both devices a bit until you feel the vibration on both devices.
A vibration on the mobiles will confirm the successful establishment of the NFC connection. Now, it’s time to beam your files using Android Beam. And go to step 2.
2. Sending and receiving data from Android to Android
Once the mobiles are successfully connected you can lead to sending- receiving data from Android to Android. Open the file or media you want to beam to another mobile. While the files/Media is opened on the screen you can see the “Tap to Beam” option on the screen.
Tap on the button and the file will start beaming, go to the receiver Android mobile and tap on “Tap to receive“. Check the notification area on both Android mobile and you will notice the notification saying “Sending Content” on the sender mobile and “receiving Content” on the receiving mobile.
Congratulations! you have successfully Beamed your first file using Android Beam. Fell free to post in the comment section below if you are facing any problem.
FAQs- Android Beam
Can you use Android Beam with Iphone?
Android Beam is a hardware-software feature available on Android. iPhone has a similar service called “Airdrop”
Is Android Beam faster than Bluetooth?
Android beam uses Wifi to transfer data across devices. And as we know Wifi is way faster than Bluetooth. The average speed of Android beam is 424 kbit/s
Conclusion:
Transferring data, video, images, documents and APK files from Android to Android using NFC is called Android Beam. You don’t need any third-party app or Android Beam Apk to transfer the data across Android devices. Android Beam is an easy and hassle-free method to transfer data from Android to Android. All you need an NFC equipped mobiles. No Cloud backup required to move your data, settings, and files from old Android to new Android device.