AirDrop Vs. AirPlay
Go through the table below to compare various aspects of AirDrop Vs. AirPlay and make a worthy choice.
Features | AirDrop | AirPlay |
---|---|---|
Compatible Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Mac | Apple devices like iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, and AirPlay-enabled speakers, soundbars, and smart TVs. |
Supported File Formats | Photos, videos, documents, GIFs, music, contacts, and more | Videos, photos, music, documents, and more |
Connectivity Range | 30 feet or 10 meters | Covers as much as distance the WIFI network provides |
Working Style | Requires both WIFI and Bluetooth to work | Works using WIFI technology |
Transfer File Quality | Does not pixelate | May pixelate |
Unique Feature | Proximity Sharing, Out Of Range, NameDrop, and SharePlay | AirPlay 2 supports streaming music to multiple audio devices simultaneously |
Data Privacy | Yes | Yes |
Transferring files across Apple devices has become so convenient with the help of AirDrop. Apple users prefer this technology for sharing files with other nearby Apple users without compromising the quality. When looking for another technology in the same line, we found AirPlay as a worthy competitor. The battle Airdrop vs AirPlay is new and can be unheard of for many. Though they work on the same operating systems, they largely differ based on sharing speed, working style, compatibility, and more. After exploring every aspect of the AirDrop and AirPlay, we have done a detailed comparison with regard to functionality and other unique features.
If you are perplexed about picking one, you can use this guide as a reference point to analyze the features and decide which one is more suitable for you.
AirDrop Vs. AirPlay – Compatible Devices
AirDrop
- AirDrop is available on Macs, iPhones, iPad Pro, iPad mini, and iPod touch. It is an integrated feature on these Apple devices.
- The AirDrop technology is not found on iPhone (Gen 1), iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G, Mac Pro model released in 2012, and other iPhones or iPads. The reason for this is these Apple devices did not receive the iOS 7 software updates.
- The devices that are compatible with AirDrop are an iPhone 5 or later, including iPhone 13, an iPad Pro running on iOS 7 or later, an iPad minor or other iPads running on iOS 7 or later, and an iPod touch (5th generation) or later. Moreover, it is supported on MacBooks with Mac OS X 10.7 Lion or above.
AirPlay
- AirPlay is compatible with all Apple devices, such as iPhones, iPads, iPod touch, iPad mini, and Mac. There is no need to download it as an app from the App Store as it is a built-in feature.
- You can carry out AirPlay streaming on iPhone 4 or later, iPad, iPad mini, iPad 2 or later, 4th gen iPod touch, or later.
- On the other hand, AirPlay mirroring works on iPhone 4S or later, iPad, iPad mini, iPad 2 or later, iPod touch ( 5th generation), and Mac running on macOS 12 or later.
Verdict: Both AirDrop and AirPlay stand equal in terms of compatibility. They work only on Apple devices.
AirDrop Vs. AirPlay – Shared Things
AirDrop
- AirDrop supports the sharing of files in various file formats, such as photos, videos, PDFs, GIFs, music, notes, and more.
- Apart from these files, you can share apps across Apple devices via AirDrop.
- If you want to stream content on smart devices with people around, you can AirDrop passwords of several streaming services.
- Besides these, you can share special media files of specific apps from one Apple device to another. For instance, you can AirDrop your Spotify playlist, Snapchat filters, links, and QR codes from various social apps.
AirPlay
- You can use AirPlay to wirelessly stream videos or audio from one Apple device to another AirPlay-compatible device.
- AirPlay makes it easy to share music, photos, videos, and more from Apple devices to Apple TVs, smart speakers, and smart TVs with AirPlay feature.
- The feature allows you to share the device’s screen with an AirPlay-supported device.
Verdict: Although AirPlay lets you share the entire device’s screen, AirDrop supports plenty of file formats. So, AirDrop has a slight edge over AirDrop when considering shared things.
Connectivity Range of AirDrop Vs. AirPlay
AirDrop
- AirDrop relies on Bluetooth technology to establish the connection. So, the devices used for AirDrop should fall within the range of 30 feet or 9 meters.
AirPlay
- It is tough to estimate the effective range of AirPlay. But it fairly covers a large distance when compared with other technologies.
Verdict: AirPlay seems to be the clear winner as it allows the sharing of media across a larger distance than AirDrop.
Setup Process of AirDrop Vs. AirPlay
AirDrop
- There is no separate setup process for AirDrop.
- You should be signed in to your Apple ID on the Apple devices to use the AirDrop feature.
- Once signed in, you can change the name of your AirDrop from the device’s settings.
AirPlay
- It does not ask for any setup process. However, only Apple devices signed in with the Apple ID can use AirPlay to stream content to other Apple devices.
- When using AirPlay from iPhone to Mac, you can choose to AirPlay stream content only to devices where you have signed up with the same Apple ID.
Verdict: The setup process of AirDrop is quite simpler than AirPlay.
AirDrop Vs. AirPlay – Working Style
AirDrop
- Enabling the AirDrop settings is essential for the functioning of the feature. That is, you should change the AirDrop settings visibility to either Everyone for 10 minutes or Contact Only.
- The AirDrop technology requires enabling both WIFI and Bluetooth on Apple devices. Next to that, turn on the AirDrop feature on the Mac Control Center or from the Finder tool on Mac.
- Find a file you want to share, tap the Share icon, tap AirDrop, and click the receiving Apple device to share the file using AirDrop. Once sent, the receiver Apple device should Accept the request to complete the transfer.
- Keep the devices unlocked for the transfer to take place within seconds.
AirPlay
- AirPlay provides you a way to share content from your Apple device to Mac, AirPlay-supported smart TV, or Apple TV.
- Choose a video you want to stream, click the AirPlay button, and select the TV or Mac.
- It requires the Apple devices to be on the same wireless network for the AirPlay technology to work normally.
- You should enable the AirPlay feature on the respective Apple devices so that you can share the media content with another AirPlay-compatible device.
- The receiver must accept the AirPlay pairing request to complete sharing the details.
Verdict: The working style of AirPlay and AirDrop is somewhat similar. However, you can AirPlay from an Apple device to a non-Apple device, which is AirPlay enabled.
AirDrop Vs. AirPlay – Shared Content Quality
AirDrop
- AirDrop does not leave any impact on the picture or video quality. Hence, there is no loss in the image quality.
AirPlay
- AirPlay depends on the wireless network for streaming audio and video. So, there is a good chance for the image quality to be affected using AirPlay.
Verdict: To retain the image quality while sharing something, AirDrop sounds like a great choice.
Data Privacy of AirDrop Vs. AirPlay
AirDrop
- AirDrop allows you to share files across Apple devices in a secure manner.
- It does not leave any trace of data or other information while transferring files. The feature safeguards your privacy.
AirPlay
- AirPlay protects the shared content using AES encryption. If you want, you can set a single-use passcode to make sure that Apple devices are safely paired to Apple TV.
Verdict: Since both AirPlay and AirDrop are Apple’s proprietaries, these technologies ensure the security of data during the process without breaching your privacy. So, it is a tie.
AirDrop Vs. AirPlay – User Interface
AirDrop
- AirDrop does not have any dedicated user interface. The feature is merged with the Share option on iOS and Mac ecosystems. All you can notice is the number of files you view in the prompt.
- When you proceed with sharing, tap the receiver’s name and click Done for the transfer to happen within seconds.
AirPlay
- AirPlay is a feature built-in on all Apple devices. You can choose to stream the content from Apple devices or mirror the device’s screen to another Apple device, Apple TV, or AirPlay-compatible Smart TV.
- Play any video or display any image, tap the AirPlay icon next to it, and choose the receiver name for sharing the content with the receiving device.
Verdict: There is no dedicated interface for AirPlay and AirDrop. So, they fall in the same line concerning user interface.
Sharing Speed and Limitations of AirDrop Vs. AirPlay
AirDrop
- There is no size limit for AirDrop. Within a few seconds, you can share large media files using AirDrop.
- The feature enables you to transfer files from one Apple device to various Apple devices at the same time. AirDrop is a quick way to send files up to 1 GB in a second.
AirPlay
- AirPlay shows no support for manual quality switches. So, you need to bear with moderate quality or buffering when you share a large video with an Apple device using AirPlay.
Verdict: AirDrop supports a high-speed data transfer rate, making it a clear winner in this case.
AirDrop Vs. AirPlay – Latest Features
AirDrop
- With the iOS 17 update, Apple released new features for AirDrop, namely Proximity Sharing, Transfer Over the Internet, and NameDrop.
- Proximity Sharing lets you transfer files between iPhones by keeping them at a nearby distance.
- NameDrop is a new way through which iPhone users can share contact information by tapping their devices together.
- Out of Range allows users to transfer files even when the devices are not physically nearby.
- SharePlay enables the effortless sharing of content with a nearby iPhone user by bringing iPhones close to each other.
AirPlay
- Using AirPlay, you can stream content to multiple AirPlay-enabled devices simultaneously.
- Once you connect to an AirPlay-enabled device using your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you can enjoy playback controls like play, pause, and skip on the connected device.
- Gamers will get excited to stream their favorite games from iPhone/iPad to TV using AirPlay.
- To have an upgraded audio experience, stream audio from any app on iPhone/iPad to an AirPlay-enabled speaker or receiver.
Verdict: Both AirDrop and AirPlay provide unique and impressive features that are rarely found in other technologies.
Final Verdict
AirPlay gives the space to stream content from an Apple device to a Smart TV or another Apple device. Comparing AirDrop and AirPlay can be hard as one transfers files while the other mirrors video and audio information. If you want to stream a photo or video from your iPhone to a compatible TV, AirPlay is what you should go for. At the same time, you should opt for AirDrop to transfer large files without any buffering.
Understanding the difference between these features will let you decide the suitable one based on your requirements.