It looks like Google is taking yet another page out of Apple’s book, as new reports suggest the tech company behind Android and the Pixel 10 lineup is working on its own version of Universal Clipboard, a feature Apple first introduced to it’s devices a few years ago. Despite how useful a feature Universal Clipboard has been — it allows you to easily copy something on your iPhone and open it on your MacBook and vice versa — there still isn’t an easy way to do the same on Android.
Of course, there’s an argument to be made for Microsoft’s SwiftKey keyboard, which does allow this somewhat, though it only works if you have SwiftKey set as your default keyboard app. Based on the reports from Android Authority, though, it looks like Google is finally working on its own version of Universal Clipboard, and it could launch as soon as Android 17.
This isn’t the first feature with which Google has taken inspiration from Apple, and it won’t be the last. The company also recently updated how Quick Share works to make it work with AirDrop on iPhones, too, further closing the divide between Android and iOS.
What’s the big deal with Universal Clipboard?
The reason that this new feature is such a big deal is because it will bring more parity to Android devices and Chromebooks. And with Google looking set to make some big changes to Chromebooks and the operating system they rely on in the near future, it could be one of those big moments for Google that finally helps put its hardware closer to offering more of what Apple does with its ecosystem of devices.
The addition of a feature like this could also go a long way in making Pixel devices even more useful for Android users, especially if Google releases the functionality on Pixel exclusively. There’s currently no word about whether that will be the case or not, but there’s also no guarantee that some of these features make the leap to other Android devices either. Ultimately, all we can do is wait for Google to make an official announcement about it.
Still, the possible introduction of a Universal Clipboard clone on Android devices helps further close the gap between those devices and Chromebooks, and it could make them an even stronger contender for PC replacements than they already are thanks to their affordability. It’s also unclear at the moment if the process will work in reverse — with text copied on Chromebook being available on Android, too — as we only have a few lines of code to look at.
