In 2015, Apple released its first app on the Google Play Store. It’s called Move to iOS and it helps people get to Apple from Google’s platform. Turnout fair play, and Google has finally created its own switching app. The app, with the nickname “Switch to Android”, helps iPhone owners export their data for use on an Android phone. The app has been launched in several markets today, including the United States, but it can be difficult to find.
The current mobile decotomy has been going on for more than a decade now. Upstarts like Palm and Windows Phone have tried and failed to create third platforms, but instead we are all more tied to Android and iOS. Year after year using a platform, it can be forced to move elsewhere. Moving to Apple’s iOS and apps like the new Switch to Android can make the process a bit easier by automating the process or at least pointing you to the right settings.
After installing the Switch to Android app on the iPhone, you will have the option to capture the basics like your contacts, calendar events, photos and videos. Most of this data should be plugged into Google’s ecosystem without problems. You may notice some strange errors in the contact data, but the app connects to Google Photos to save all your iCloud media. This all happens wirelessly, so you don’t have to worry about finding a cable to connect your Android phone’s USB-C port to even the latest Lightning port on the latest iPhones.
There’s an added pain when Apple leaves the platform, and it’s a feature that is regularly cited by iPhone users who keep using their Apple devices: iMessage. Apple’s enhanced messaging feature intercepts SMS intended for iPhone users and works by relaying through its servers. If you don’t deactivate iMessage properly, you won’t be able to receive messages from iPhone users on your Android phone. Switch to Android may not magically disable iMessage, but it does link you to the correct settings menu to disable the feature.
Google has not made an official announcement about the app, and it may not yet appear in the App Store search. Or it does not appear in the store under Google’s Developer Account However, the list is available if you have the correct link. Most likely, Google will make the app more prominent after a few updates.
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