Apple Inc. has unveiled its first Android app called "Switch from Android to iOS," to encourage Google's smartphone users to switch to iPhones. The new app now available in the Google Play store appears on mobile devices as "Move to iOS" and allows Android handset users to securely transfer content such as contacts, email accounts, photos, and videos to Apple operating system's gadgets including iPhones, iPads and iPods running iOS 9.
The app's description explains that it eliminates the need to save data somewhere else before changing to Apple's platform. In fact, the Move to iOS app transfers many types of content, including message history, calendars, and camera rolls, according to The Verge.
The new Android app eliminates the need to use cloud storage in order to transport users' data from an Android handset. It is quite a savvy strategy.
The iPhone will create a private Wi-Fi network, and request a 10-digit user security code. It will then transfer and organize all data.
Google phone owners must have Android 4.0 KitKat or above to run the app. Meanwhile, the latest Android OS version is 6.0 Marshmallow.
Apple's new app is being launched about one week before the tech giant will release its iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus devices on September 25. The app is also compatible with earlier smartphone models.
However, the Move to iOS app cannot transfer all data from Google to Apple phones due to them having unique ecosystems and different app stores, according to ArsTechnica. Apple App Store purchases do not apply to Google Play.
Apple is also developing an Apple Music app for Android phones.