Mikey Campbell
With an eye on easing the transition from Android to the iOS ecosystem, Apple plans to offer switchers a special Android app that wirelessly transfers personal data, downloaded apps and other information over to a new iPhone.
While not mentioned at WWDC on Monday, the new app is a bold move in Apple's long-standing war against Google's rival operating system, one that is necessary to better compete as smartphone saturation reaches all-time highs in developed markets.
According to Apple's iOS 9 preview webpage, Android users can rely on the Move to iOS app to transfer contacts, message history, photos and video, Web bookmarks, mail accounts, calendars and even wallpapers. Certain content, like DRM-protected songs and e-books, are not eligible for transfer, though DRM-free media will be moved over automatically.
Not simply a bulk data mover, Move to iOS analyzes a user's free Android apps and makes suggestions to rebuild their catalog with iOS versions. Titles determined to be paid apps are added to their iTunes Wish List for later purchase.
It is not yet clear when the app will be available, but the wireless transfer process appears to rely on iOS 9 assets.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
32 Comments
This should be interesting, will all the versious version of Android out there, I wonder how well this will work. I give one example, Even though Google allowed backup service on Android and there are programs like titanium which will have transfer all this stuff apple says they will do it did not work on Motorola and other phones unless you rooted the phone. Motorola blocked access to this information, mostly not to make is easy for users to easily switch to a competing Android device. I assuming Apple is trageting Samsung mostly since Samsung support Android backup.
This should be interesting, will all the versious version of Android out there, I wonder how well this will work. I give one example, Even though Google allowed backup service on Android and there are programs like titanium which will have transfer all this stuff apple says they will do it did not work on Motorola and other phones unless you rooted the phone. Motorola blocked access to this information, mostly not to make is easy for users to easily switch to a competing Android device. I assuming Apple is trageting Samsung mostly since Samsung support Android backup.
Finnaly a glass of ice water in Hell for the poor wretched souls who have sinned!
Android zombie must die! This is just another arrow in the brainpan!
Android zombie must die! This is just another arrow in the brainpan!
"I used to be an Android user until I took an arrow in the brainpan."
I just tried this and it wont work. I keep getting the message "your Andorid software is out of date". Weird because I just bought my galaxy phone a few weeks ago.