The SHAREit app bills itself as a file-sharing app that’s fast and has a built-in media player. But this may be a slightly simplistic trying-to-appeal-to-everyone broad-brush approach, as we will see.
SHAREit’s headline feature for many people will be the file-sharing functionality. According to the app, it can shift files 200 times quicker than Bluetooth. At full tilt, it can hit 20 M/s without affecting file quality.
Compared to Bluetooth, the norm on sharing apps, SHAREit belts along like an express train without using any mobile data. Hence why some 1.8 billion users have the app on their phone.
You can music, video, images, Word docs, PDFs, any Office suite documents, and more besides. It can transfer files across platforms, and, better still, there’s no maximum file size you can transfer. If you can store it on your device, SHAREit can send it.
SHAREit also uses WiFi for peer-to-peer data transfers. The app creates a hotspot on your primary device to which other devices connect. This arrangement means files are sent directly between devices and do not travel over the internet or get shared in the cloud. This makes this peer-to-peer set much more secure.
As cool as all this is, it’s just part of the story. SHAREit has free online feeds for movies, videos, music, GIFs, and wallpapers.
SHAREit says vulnerabilities have been fixed
SHAREit issued a statement that vulnerabilities highlighted by Trend Micro have been rectified.
The Singapore-based company with links to China said it had released an urgent update to address the security problems raised.
Trend Micro confirmed that their research had given the updated SHAREit app a clean bill of health and advised users to download the latest version.
Continuously updated HD video library
Integral video player
Offline viewing
Multi millions of music tracks and curated playlists
Built-in music player with equalizer
Downloadable stickers, GIFs, and wallpapers
Sharing files peer-to-peer means you don’t need a WiFi network or use your precious mobile data to share a file. You can share anywhere at any time and not have a loading bar burn itself into your retinas. SHAREit claims it can download an entire movie in around ten seconds.
The integrated encryption means you should relax that bad actors cannot intercept your image or video transfers.
Having various devices and operating systems is not a problem either, as are file formats; you can transfer any format. What you get with this app is no more USB or other kinds of cables. Or even the need for the interweb.
Though there were much-highlighted security and privacy concerns in this year, these have been addressed. The app was deemed safe by Trend Micro. However, the Chinese-linked app remains officially banned in India.
Fast and secure file transfers
Built-in multimedia tools
Multi-language support
Tightening Google security means the app isn’t as seamless as it was
Heavy advertising
SHAREit is available for download from Google Play and the App Store. It ranks highly in both.
