Samsung Leaves Galaxy S23 Without AirDrop in One UI 8.5 as Owners Cite 1-Year Update Window
Updated
Updated · Android Authority · May 25
Samsung Leaves Galaxy S23 Without AirDrop in One UI 8.5 as Owners Cite 1-Year Update Window
2 articles · Updated · Android Authority · May 25
Galaxy S23 owners say Samsung’s stable One UI 8.5 rollout left out AirDrop compatibility, turning a headline feature on some newer Galaxy devices into a flashpoint for older flagship users.
Reddit posts argue the S23’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and FastConnect 7800 hardware should handle the AWDL protocol behind AirDrop, though that technical claim has not been independently verified.
The likely hurdle is software support: Google and Samsung would need device-by-device tuning and testing with chip vendors, making a backport to the S23 appear unlikely.
Samsung has not yet explained the omission, and some users are calling it planned obsolescence even though the S23 still has about 1 year of software support left.
For now, affected users can still move files to Apple devices through Quick Share’s QR-code option announced at Google I/O 2026 or via third-party tools such as NearDrop.
What hidden technical issues prevent the Galaxy S23 from getting a feature its hardware can support?
Is Samsung deliberately crippling older phones to force users into buying new models?
With new sharing tech emerging, are walled gardens from Apple and Google finally coming down?