One of Apple’s apps for Android appeared in the list of most downloaded apps in the Google Play store this Christmas. Here’s why the “Move to iOS” app launched into the top 40, and what it does.
Now that the holidays are coming to an end, new and returning iPhone users will be unboxing their new iPhones and switching from Android to iOS.
Every year, iPhone sales see a significant increase, with customers rushing to purchase Apple’s flagship smartphone in time to give it as a gift. And every year, Apple sees a large number of new and old users migrating from Android to iPhone. Enough so that the company created a dedicated Android app in 2015 to help streamline the process.
Previously, if someone wanted to transfer their data across multiple platforms, they often had to resort to much more complicated methods. This included relying on cloud services or third-party services that were often unreliable.
This year, CNBC reported that Apple’s “Move to iOS” app made it to the top 40 apps in the Google Play Store. This isn’t terribly surprising: after all, many people are eager to set up their new devices, but not without making sure all their files come with them.
Those who want to transfer data from their Android device to a new phone can download the Switch to iOS app from the Google Play Store. From there, it’s pretty similar to transferring data between two iPhones.
During the transfer, the Android app and iPhone will guide you through the process.
When changing, you can transfer:
- Contacts
- Message history
- Camera photos and videos
- Photo albums
- Files and folders
- Accessibility Settings
- Display settings
- Web Favorites
- Email accounts
- WhatsApp messages and media
- Voice Memos
- Call history
- Calendars
According to Apple, if available on both Google Play and the App Store, some of your free apps will also carry over. In practice, it’s a hit or miss, because sometimes developers don’t name apps exactly.
According to the app’s Google Store page, you need to have Android 6.0 or later. However, AppleInsider suggests you update your device to the latest operating system to enable a relatively simple transfer. You’ll want to keep the devices plugged into the mains and close to each other during the process.
