Samsung Phone Users Might Not Get The Next Big Android Feature - Here's Why

It has been known for a couple of months now that Google was testing a new Android backup solution that would make backing up files to a PC much simpler. Exactly how the system would work, though, has remained unknown, at least until now. An APK teardown revealed that Google will lean heavily on Quick Share to power its new Android free backup option. Unfortunately, it appears that Samsung might miss out entirely.

Android Authority was able to get a look at the potential UI for the upcoming Android backup system in a teardown of the latest Google Play Services update, and it looks to allow you to automatically back up files without using cloud storage or paying any additional subscription costs – this wording is actually used in the screenshots that Android Authority captured of the feature. The system appears to be mostly set up toward photos and videos, and will conduct daily backups whenever your phone and PC are on and using the same wireless network, allowing you to back up photos, videos, and even audio files.

However, the page also has one warning-type notification near the bottom that says "Samsung phones aren't supported." No explicit reasoning has been given as to why Samsung phones won't support the Quick Share backup system, though some believe that the feature could be unsupported due to Samsung's existing PC-friendly features, which have even expanded to more Windows PCs in recent months.

Phone Link is a useful feature, especially for Samsung users who have a Windows PC. The system lets you connect your PC and Android phone, allowing you to control your Android phone from your PC, access messages, files, and even share content from your clipboard across your devices. It's as close as Android currently offers to Apple's continuity features on iPhone and Mac, and you can use a backup system similar to the upcoming Quick Share system using the Samsung Smart Switch application.

Both of these apps offer useful functionality for users, but there's no reason why making Quick Share — a system that Samsung developed and then Google merged into its own Nearby Share — work with PC backups shouldn't be possible. Especially since Samsung and Google have worked so closely together across improving Android and even smart home products. It's also possible that Samsung could be working on its own version of the feature, though that is complete speculation as no details have surfaced anywhere. 

Unfortunately, until more is divulged about this feature and it starts rolling out to users, it's hard to say for sure if this is the reason that Samsung phones aren't supported, or if they will be supported in the future. For now, though, if you have a Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, or any other Samsung phone, you'll still need to rely on Smart Switch to back up your content to your PC.