Apple denies plans to build iOS-to-Android migration tool

Apple is not, in fact, working on a migration tool to help iPhone owners switch to Android, a spokesperson said on Monday, in a rare instance of the company commenting on rumors.

"There is no truth to this rumor," Trudy Muller explained to BuzzFeed News. "We are entirely focused on switching users from Android to iPhone, and that is going great."

The proposed tool would have carried over content like contacts, music, and photos.

The idea of Apple helping people migrate away from its products might seem paradoxical, but The Telegraph reported that this was being done at the behest of European phone carriers concerned that Apple's platform lock-in was preventing people from considering other devices. While many of Google's services can be easily accessed from an iPhone — Apple already has an Android-to-iOS tool — it can be harder to port settings and content in the opposite direction.

Another example of platform lock-in has been iMessage. By default iMessage links a user's phone number with their Apple ID, preferring the latter instead of sending via SMS. This can create a problem if a person switches to Android though, since messages from other iPhone owners will still go to the Apple ID instead of the number.

Apple was hit with ultimately doomed legal action over the problem. Eventually it decided to warn people to turn off iMessage before switching, and offer a web tool for delinking iMessage accounts.

33 Comments

cali 3494 comments · 10 Years

About 8 years ago

GOOD. Sounded like a terrible idea.

Was funny watching the Applelogists explain how it could be a good idea for Apple. hahaha

MacPro 19836 comments · 18 Years

Well I am shocked. /sI assume the writer got this backwards?

lkrupp 10521 comments · 19 Years

sog35 said:

WTF.

So Apple can respond to some silly ass rumor about an Android App, yet they can't respond to supply chain rumors that caused the stock to lose over $200 billion in value?

I just don't understand Tim Cook sometimes.

No, you don’t understand SEC rules governing what a corporation can and cannot say and when they can or can’t say it in the time leading up to a financial report. Analysts and bloggers can say whatever they want to about a company whenever they want to. CEOs cannot make any untruthful or misleading statements as they would be criminally liable. An analyst can say the sky is orange and Apple is bankrupt if they want to with no risk other than their reputation.

sflocal 6133 comments · 16 Years

sog35 said:

WTF.

So Apple can respond to some silly ass rumor about an Android App, yet they can't respond to supply chain rumors that caused the stock to lose over $200 billion in value?

I just don't understand Tim Cook sometimes.

Oh Yeah?? What I don't understand is some whiner breaking his promise of self-banning himself for losing a bet, and pretend it never happened.

Enough with the rhetoric Sog. You've beaten that dead horse long enough.

Is not keeping your word something you do on a regular basis?