The Galaxy Note 20 series will reportedly come with an ultra-wideband chip

Over ten iterations in, Stock Android still doesn't have an answer to AirDrop. Thankfully, OEMs like Samsung have taken matters into their own hands and developed their in-house alternatives that get the job done. Samsung's Quick Share uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct to transfer files between compatible devices. That process will get a whole lot faster on the Galaxy Note 20 series, as Samsung is reportedly planning on shipping those with an ultra-wideband chip.

An ultra-wideband chip works as a radar that uses very high-frequency waves to scan an area for objects. It is objectively better than Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when it comes to data transfer, as it is capable of transmitting more information. The Galaxy Note 20 could likely use this to initiate peer-to-peer connections with a compatible device, allowing for fast data transfer rates between the two phones. This will work well with Samsung's Quick Share and Music Share feature, and even possibly speed up the process of transitioning between devices.

However, ultra-wideband chips, much like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, only works with other devices that run the same hardware. At this time, only Apple's iPhone 11 series has it. If the Galaxy Note 20 series comes with an ultra-wideband chip, it is reasonable to assume that subsequent releases will follow suit. Samsung could even be working on AirTags-like hardware that allows users to track real-world objects using their smartphones. It could even steal Apple's thunder by releasing its UWB chip-based trackers first.