China smartphone makers form alliance to offer P2P file transfer

Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi have formed an alliance to enable their users to transfer files between their mobile devices, without the need to download third-party apps or consume network data. The data transfer capability taps Bluetooth and Wi-Fi peer-to-peer (P2P), or Wi-Fi Direct, and touts an average transfer speed of 20Mbps. 

Slated to begin rolling out progressively on new phone models from next month, the file transfer system would support various data types including photos, videos, music, and documents, the three Chinese smartphone makers said in a joint statement Thursday. 

The partners said they established a "P2P Transmission Alliance" to develop the "cross-brand file transfer" capability and in anticipation of 5G, which would significantly push up average file sizes due to the availability of richer and more varied content.

The P2P file transfer would use Bluetooth to pair devices and Wi-Fi P2P to facilitate the data transfer between the devices. Since it would not require an internet connection, users would be able to continue with their online activities during the file transfer, the smartphone makers said.

After ensuring the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi functions on both devices were turned on, users then could select the files they wished to share and an icon would pop up on the recipient's device. Once confirmed, the file transfer would be initiated.

Vivo's senior vice president Spark Ni said: "Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi all share a strong user base, and such partnership will benefit even more consumers globally."

The three smartphone makers accounted for three of the top four positions in China's market for the third quarter of 2019, according to figures from Counterpoint. Huawei snagged the biggest share at 40%, while Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi grabbed 19%, 18%, and 8% market share, respectively. Apple shared the same market share as Xiaomi at 8%.