{"id":223697,"date":"2025-12-09T13:05:13","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T13:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/223697\/"},"modified":"2025-12-09T13:05:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T13:05:13","slug":"heres-how-google-and-apple-could-improve-android-iphone-transfers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/223697\/","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s how Google and Apple could improve Android\u2013iPhone transfers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img class=\"e_Zg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\"  title=\"Android Switch connected to iPhone and Pixel 9\"  alt=\"Android Switch connected to iPhone and Pixel 9\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Android-Switch-connected-to-iPhone-and-Pixel-9.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Ryan Haines \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n<p>TL;DR<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Google and Apple are collaborating to make switching between phone platforms easier.<\/li>\n<li>Code found in the Android Switch app suggests support for migrating accessibility settings, playlists, passwords, wallet cards, and Wi-Fi credentials.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you\u2019ve 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 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/google-apple-android-iphone-switching-3623422\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">switching between Android phones and iPhones more seamless<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n<p>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:<\/p>\n<tr>Data TypeOver cableOver Wi-Fi<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"\">Data Type<\/p>\n<p>Photos (including Live photos, Burst photos, and screenshots) and Videos<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over cable<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over Wi-Fi<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"\">Data Type<\/p>\n<p>Device-only, iCloud, and cloud-synced contacts<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over cable<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over Wi-Fi<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"\">Data Type<\/p>\n<p>SMS or RCS messages and iMessages which include photo, video, replies, emoji reactions, and other attachments<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over cable<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over Wi-Fi<\/p>\n<p>No<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"\">Data Type<\/p>\n<p>Documents and downloads<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over cable<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over Wi-Fi<\/p>\n<p>No<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"\">Data Type<\/p>\n<p>Device-only and iCloud-synced calendar appointments<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over cable<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over Wi-Fi<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"\">Data Type<\/p>\n<p>Apps at no charge which are matched to Google Play<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over cable<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over Wi-Fi<\/p>\n<p>No<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"\">Data Type<\/p>\n<p>WhatsApp chat history<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over cable<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over Wi-Fi<\/p>\n<p>No<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"\">Data Type<\/p>\n<p>MP3 and audio files<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over cable<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over Wi-Fi<\/p>\n<p>No<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"\">Data Type<\/p>\n<p>Voice memos (These transfer to Recorder)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over cable<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over Wi-Fi<\/p>\n<p>No<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"\">Data Type<\/p>\n<p>Notes (These transfer to Keep)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over cable<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over Wi-Fi<\/p>\n<p>No<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"\">Data Type<\/p>\n<p>Call history<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over cable<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over Wi-Fi<\/p>\n<p>No<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"\">Data Type<\/p>\n<p>Home screen app layout and custom wallpapers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over cable<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over Wi-Fi<\/p>\n<p>No<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"\">Data TypeDevice settings:<\/p>\n<p>* Alarms<br \/>* Saved Wi-Fi SSIDs<br \/>* Font size<br \/>* Screen timeout settings<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over cable<\/p>\n<p>Yes<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"\">Over Wi-Fi<\/p>\n<p>No<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<p>Further, Google expressly notes that the following aren\u2019t copied over from your iPhone to your Pixel:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>In-app purchases<\/li>\n<li>Device settings, such as Wi-Fi passwords<\/li>\n<li>Music with Digital Rights Management (DRM) protection<\/li>\n<li>Bookmarks from Safari<\/li>\n<li>Paid and unavailable apps on Google Play<\/li>\n<li>Some app data, such as data from apps that aren\u2019t stored in the cloud<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Android Switch app, version 1.0.833807547, included in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/android-canary-2512-3623286\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">latest Android Canary 2512 build<\/a>, contains code that references new data types that can\u00a0be migrated during a cross-platform data transfer.<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"e_Zg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  title=\"iPhone to Pixel data transfer New data types\"  alt=\"iPhone to Pixel data transfer New data types\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/iPhone-to-Pixel-data-transfer-New-data-types.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>AssembleDebug \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n<p>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 \u201cvnd.os-migration,\u201d which is likely related to cross-platform data transfer:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Accessibility settings<\/li>\n<li>Music Playlists<\/li>\n<li>Passwords and Passkeys<\/li>\n<li>Wallet Cards<\/li>\n<li>Wi-Fi Credentials<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Currently, there is no provision to transfer accessibility settings from iOS to Android, but that could soon change. We don\u2019t have more information on what exactly constitutes \u201cmusic playlists,\u201d but it could involve transferring Apple Music playlists to YouTube Music through the TuneMyMusic service, which is already <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/youtubemusic\/answer\/14729358?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">what Google recommends<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>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 \u201cvnd.os-migration\u201d code, so there\u2019s more room here for interpretation.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Don\u2019t want to miss the best from Android Authority?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/andauth.co\/AAGooglePreferredSource\" class=\"e_Pm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\"><img class=\"e_Zg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  title=\"google preferred source badge light@2x\"  alt=\"google preferred source badge light@2x\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png\"\/><img class=\"e_Zg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  title=\"google preferred source badge dark@2x\"  alt=\"google preferred source badge dark@2x\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>While the Android Switch app handles code for iPhone-to-Pixel\/Android transfers, Apple and Google\u2019s collaboration is a two-way street that facilitates easier data transfer between Android and iOS devices. There\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<p>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\u2019ll keep you updated when new details emerge.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u26a0\ufe0f<\/strong> An <strong>APK teardown<\/strong> helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for being part of our community. Read our\u00a0<a class=\"c-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/android-authority-comment-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" data-stringify-link=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/android-authority-comment-policy\/\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\">Comment Policy<\/a> before posting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ryan Haines \/ Android Authority TL;DR Google and Apple are collaborating to make switching between phone platforms easier.&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":223698,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[257],"tags":[821,311,11705,5047,7165,18,823,1391,19,17,279,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-223697","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-android","9":"tag-apple","10":"tag-apple-ios","11":"tag-apple-iphone","12":"tag-authority-insights","13":"tag-eire","14":"tag-google","15":"tag-google-pixel","16":"tag-ie","17":"tag-ireland","18":"tag-mobile","19":"tag-technology"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115689758973613085","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223697","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=223697"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223697\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/223698"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=223697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=223697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=223697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}