Google has been reportedly been preparing a cheeky Switch to Android app for iOS in recent months, and now we’ve got our first look at the tool.
Some intrepid 9to5Google reporters found the app, which has been ‘soft launched’ in the Apple App Store for iPhone users.
That means if you have the direct link, you can download it, but it’s not fully available as a public-facing app just yet. The report says the got the link through some digging done by its APK Insight team, but isn’t sharing it right now.
The app intends to make it as easy as possible for iPhone users to jump on board with a Pixel, (or another manufacturer’s Android phone), without skipping a beat.
Those installing Switch To Android will be prompted to scan a QR code shown on an Android device using their iPhone, in order to pair the devices. The next step is to choose which data you would like to transfer over. The options are contacts, calendar events, photos and videos.
From there, users will be prompted to turn off iMessage in order to start receiving texts on the new device, and will also be given the option to request a copy of their data to copy photos from iCloud to Google Photos. That’s a feature revealed when word of the app first broke cover and was detailed a few weeks back.
Overall, the transfer process seems extremely straightforward and, according to the report today, that plays out in practice too. While users won’t be able to transfer over their texts, there is now a WhatsApp tool that makes it easier to transfer chat histories from iPhone to Android.
The overdue move from Google comes many years after Apple set up camp on the Google Play Store with a switch to iOS app that offered the exact same functionality. It’s not yet clear when Google will officially launch the Switch to Android app for all, but next month’s Google I/O 2022 keynote seems as good a time as any.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
