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Here’s how Google and Apple could improve Android-iPhone data transfers (APK teardown)
2 hours ago
- Google and Apple are collaborating to make switching between phone platforms easier.
- Code found in the Android Switch app suggests support for migrating accessibility settings, playlists, passwords, wallet cards, and Wi-Fi credentials.
If you’ve ever tried to switch between Android and iPhone ecosystems, you know how painful the process can be. Google and Apple have confirmed that they are collaborating to make switching between Android phones and iPhones more seamless, with support for additional data types that can soon be transferred. We now have more details on what new data types could be transferred between the two as part of this collaboration.
When you set up an Android phone, you can transfer data from your previous Android device or an iPhone. Within the context of Pixels, Google notes that you can automatically transfer these data types from your old iPhone to your new Pixel:
| Data Type | Over cable | Over Wi-Fi |
|---|---|---|
| Data Type Photos (including Live photos, Burst photos, and screenshots) and Videos | Over cable Yes | Over Wi-Fi Yes |
| Data Type Device-only, iCloud, and cloud-synced contacts | Over cable Yes | Over Wi-Fi Yes |
| Data Type SMS or RCS messages and iMessages which include photo, video, replies, emoji reactions, and other attachments | Over cable Yes | Over Wi-Fi No |
| Data Type Documents and downloads | Over cable Yes | Over Wi-Fi No |
| Data Type Device-only and iCloud-synced calendar appointments | Over cable Yes | Over Wi-Fi Yes |
| Data Type Apps at no charge which are matched to Google Play | Over cable Yes | Over Wi-Fi No |
| Data Type WhatsApp chat history | Over cable Yes | Over Wi-Fi No |
| Data Type MP3 and audio files | Over cable Yes | Over Wi-Fi No |
| Data Type Voice memos (These transfer to Recorder) | Over cable Yes | Over Wi-Fi No |
| Data Type Notes (These transfer to Keep) | Over cable Yes | Over Wi-Fi No |
| Data Type Call history | Over cable Yes | Over Wi-Fi No |
| Data Type Home screen app layout and custom wallpapers | Over cable Yes | Over Wi-Fi No |
| Data Type Device settings: * Alarms * Saved Wi-Fi SSIDs * Font size * Screen timeout settings | Over cable Yes | Over Wi-Fi No |
Further, Google expressly notes that the following aren’t copied over from your iPhone to your Pixel:
- In-app purchases
- Device settings, such as Wi-Fi passwords
- Music with Digital Rights Management (DRM) protection
- Bookmarks from Safari
- Paid and unavailable apps on Google Play
- Some app data, such as data from apps that aren’t stored in the cloud
The Android Switch app, version 1.0.833807547, included in the latest Android Canary 2512 build, contains code that references new data types that can be migrated during a cross-platform data transfer.
In the above code snippet, the following are new data types that could soon be supported for an iPhone-to-Pixel data transfer, as they all follow along with new code around “vnd.os-migration,” which is likely related to cross-platform data transfer:
- Accessibility settings
- Music Playlists
- Passwords and Passkeys
- Wallet Cards
- Wi-Fi Credentials
Currently, there is no provision to transfer accessibility settings from iOS to Android, but that could soon change. We don’t have more information on what exactly constitutes “music playlists,” but it could involve transferring Apple Music playlists to YouTube Music through the TuneMyMusic service, which is already what Google recommends.
Wallet cards could involve a similar situation, such as transferring from Apple Wallet to Google Wallet, although there is currently no way to do so. Note that wallet cards are not explicitly part of the “vnd.os-migration” code, so there’s more room here for interpretation.
In a similar vein, passwords and passkeys are presently not supported, and users must log in to their apps manually; this could soon change with the seamless transfer of passwords and passkeys. Wi-Fi SSIDs are currently transferred, but their passwords are not, so supporting Wi-Fi credentials would provide a more seamless experience.
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While the Android Switch app handles code for iPhone-to-Pixel/Android transfers, Apple and Google’s collaboration is a two-way street that facilitates easier data transfer between Android and iOS devices. There’s a good chance that what works on this side will also work the other way around. These new data types could also be supported for Android-to-iPhone migration.
Although the code snippet looks promising for the future, we will still have to wait for Google and Apple to share more details on how exactly they plan to improve the data migration process between the two ecosystems. It remains to be seen whether these new data types will require a cable or if they can be transferred wirelessly. We’ll keep you updated when new details emerge.
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