Android 14 will permanently remove the Android Beam, as this feature was already deprecated with Android 10 and now it’s finally going to end. If you don’t know what this used to do and what functionality it offered.
You might remember, the file sharing between two devices with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Yes, this feature used to be initiated by touching two different Android devices that had NFC and Android 4.0 or higher support.
Of course, this isn't a big deal since we have Nearby Share now, though that's only available on GMS Android devices and not AOSP like Android Beam was.
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) September 1, 2022
Once your devices were connected, users could initiate the file transfer by starting it and could easily share smaller files like browser pages, contact info, map info and such more via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. This feature was actually useful as it didn’t require to make a proper setup connection in advance.
As long as the device has NFC and Android Beam enabled, files can be easily transferred between apps. Nowadays, we have better options and with time passing we have better tech that helps with sharing files. Google has already implemented Google Nearby Share.
Most people won’t even notice this feature, as this feature has a better replacement called Google Nearby Share which is said to be a better alternative. The company is also focusing on the ecosystem on top of AOSP with its Google Play Service and GMS (Google Mobile Service). The OEMs will also try to comply with Google’s terms and implement such improvements.
