The Galaxy S23 series announced by Samsung today is supposed to be the first models to support Google’s Fast Pair feature. Mishaal Rahman shared a demo of the feature on the Pixel 7 and Galaxy S23 models.
Google Quick Pairing Service (GFPS) uses Bluetooth Low Power (BLE) to discover nearby Bluetooth devices without consuming much of the phone’s power, enabling a “magical” scenario based on device proximity.
A key feature of this feature is audio switching support, which seamlessly switches headset connections between devices based on user activity (e.g., starting a movie) and priority events (e.g., incoming calls).
According to a screenshot shared by Mishaal Rahman, a Google Quick Pair-enabled phone detects a nearby product that also supports this feature (e.g. headset/phone) and a QR code pops up, which can be scanned by the user to transfer data from the phone.
Before transferring, however, the Quick Pair feature requires biometric or PIN verification, which should prevent unwanted data transfers.
Setup will then run automatically, but some OEMs may require additional steps. On Samsung Galaxy S23 models, Samsung will remind users to install the Smart Switch app.
Overall, the Smart Switch feature allows smartphones to find the target phone faster and complete the data side of the migration transfer through quick pairing.
