Patches posted for the Linux kernel would let T2 Macs running Linux send and receive files over AirDrop, Phoronix reports.
- Andre Eikmeyer’s series adds Apple Wireless Direct Link (AWDL) support to the Broadcom brcmfmac driver
- The Apple firmware does most of the AWDL work. Peer discovery and AirDrop itself run in user space with t2-drop, a Rust program with NetworkManager integration from the kaiT2en project
- It works both ways with Macs, iPhones and iPads. The pre-T2 BCM4350 firmware doesn’t support it, and other chips are untested
My take
AirDrop from Linux would be huge for anyone running Linux on Intel Macs. It’s still under review, so it’s not mainline yet.
God Bless, and Use the Source!
