Google has quietly launched its 'Switch To Android' app on Apple's App Store to make it easier for iPhone users to move their data to an Android device. The move comes almost a year after reports first emerged about Google working on an app along the lines of Apple's 'Move to iOS' app on Android. However, while Apple's app helps users move from Android to an iPhone, Google's app aims to make it easier for users to switch the other way around.
Switching between two Android devices is a fairly easy process, thanks to the plethora of available options. Users can connect two Android phones or tablets wirelessly or via a USB cable to copy all data, including messages, contact list, media files, documents, and even apps. Moving from iOS to Android, however, is a cumbersome and laborious process that most people would rather avoid. While Android 12 made the process a little easier, Google is now looking to make it even more seamless for users with a new app.
Google's 'Switch to Android' app is now available on Apple's App Store and makes it easier for people to switch from an iPhone to Android. According to the App Store page, it helps existing iOS users "quickly and securely" migrate data wirelessly from an iPhone to an Android device. The app supports the transfer of most types of data, including photos, videos, contacts, and calendar events. It also offers users transition instructions, such as turning off iMessage and moving photos and videos from iCloud.
Switching From iPhone To Android
Curiously, Google has not officially announced the launch of the new app, nor has it updated its existing 'Switch to Android' website to reflect the new development. In fact, the app can only be accessed via a direct link, as it doesn't appear on Google's developer page on the App Store. It also currently doesn't show up in search results. Apple added support for such apps in January to help businesses and researchers make their in-house apps available to select users. By all accounts, the app works as promised, helping users transition from iPhone to Android wirelessly and effortlessly.
Reports about Google's Switch to Android app initially surfaced last year via an APK teardown of Google's 'Data Restore Tool' Android app. The teardown by 9t05Google revealed much about the then-upcoming app, including how it will connect an iPhone to an Android device over Wi-Fi to copy data directly, as opposed to the prevalent practice of backing up all data from the iPhone on Google Drive and then manually restoring it on the Android device. While the report claimed that the app might be able to even copy apps from iPhone to Android, that feature doesn't seem to be supported by the official Switch to Android app.
Source: Switch to Android/App Store, 9to5Google