This wireless tech could soon facilitate network-free file transfers

How are files sent from one phone to another? Or from a phone to a computer and vice versa? If you want to do it wirelessly, you’ll have to rely on WiFi or Bluetooth. Companies like Apple and Google have their own wireless transfer protocols like AirDrop and Nearby Share, but those still rely on WiFi and/or Bluetooth. That’s where LiveDrop comes in.

The technology was unveiled at CES 2024 last month. This is a new wireless technology that allows users to send files and photos across devices without relying on a network or internet connection. The tech was demonstrated on a phone in Airplane mode with both WiFi and Bluetooth disabled, and it worked flawlessly.

It relies on devices scanning something that resembles a QR code, but it’s not. Instead, it’s kind of like a data matrix of the file itself, so after it has been scanned, the app will then unscramble the code to reproduce the file. Unfortunately, in its current state, LiveDrop transfers at a snail’s pace of 250Kbps, but the company plans to increase that to 1Mbps.

It also compresses the original file, so the end result could be a lower-quality image or video. Luckily, LiveDrop CEO Patrick Moreu says that there is an SDK that would allow businesses to set their own limits.

Other than sending images, it can be useful for small file transfers. A lecturer who puts up the code on a screen which students can then scan to receive their course notes. The best part of LiveDrop is that it is platform agnostic. This means that iOS can scan Android users and vice versa. Users who are interested can actually check out the app right now.