Google has confirmed the handy Instant Hotspot feature, announced almost a year ago, is finally available for Samsung phones, with the Galaxy S25 first in line.
Instant Hotspot is designed to make it easier for Android phone owners to share their mobile data connection with other Android devices they own – like a tablet or a Chromebook that doesn’t have its own mobile data connection.
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Because both devices are associated with a Google Account, the feature joins the dots and allows for connection without the need to input a password to authenticate the tethering session.
While Pixel device owners have had it for a while, Samsung is the first third-party maker to adopt it.
“If you have an Android device that isn’t connected to the Internet, it searches for other nearby devices that you own to check if they can provide Internet access. If one of those devices is connected to a mobile network, Internet access can be provided through an instant hotspot. If that’s the case, you’ll receive a notification to ask if you’d like to connect. If you choose to connect, your Android device will automatically connect with no password entry required,” Google says in an updated support post.
The document mentions the Galaxy S25 range – arguably the best Samsung phones – specifically. As Android Authority points out, Samsung already has an Auto Hotspot feature that makes it possible for users to connect to other Samsung devices they own without a password. The adoption of Google’s tech broadens the functionality to other Android or ChromeOS devices associated with a Google account.
It’s a small but nice quality of live change, which is akin to Apple’s Instant Hotspot feature that allows iPhone owners to easily offer up internet access to an iPad or Mac in the wild. That feature also works with Family Sharing, meaning Apple IDs associated with the source device can also access Instant Hotspot.
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While S24 owners wait for One UI 7, life continues to get rosier for Samsung Galaxy S25 early adopters. At times there can be little between the devices year-on-year from a hardware standpoint. However, in terms of getting the newest software features, the freshest devices are miles ahead.
