Back in July last year, a report suggested that Google is working on a “Switch to Android” app for iOS users to help them easily migrate their local iPhone data, including contacts, messages, and apps, to a new Android device. It is slated to be similar to the “Move to iOS” app from Apple that already exists on the Google Play Store. Now, a new report reveals that the dedicated data transfer app might be able to transfer iCloud data directly to Google Photos. Let’s take a look at the details.
Google to Let You Transfer iCloud Data to Google Photos
According to a recent APK teardown report from 9to5Google, Google has updated its “Data Transfer Tool” app to version 1.0.430697386. To recall, thE app works on the receiving end of the migration process. With this update, the company revealed more details about how its upcoming Switch to Android app will be able to automatically migrate iCloud photos and videos to Google Photos.
“To copy photos & videos from iCloud to Google Photos, follow the instructions in the Switch to Android app, or learn more at g.co/transferfromicloud,” writes Google.
The link, included in the statement, leads to a Google Photos support page that details a multi-day process to transfer iCloud data to Google Photos. Now, it is currently unknown whether or not the Switch to Android app will eliminate this multi-day process and simplify it for users to transfer their iCloud photos and videos to Google Photos. There’s also no information on if the app will allow for local data transfer such as contacts, messages, and more.
Another key feature that was discovered in the latest version of the Data Transfer Tool is the ability to transfer files from iOS to Android using a wired connection between the two devices. While the previous report suggested that the Switch to Android app will use a Wi-Fi connection to transfer the data, the mention of a lightning cable, a USB-C cable, and a micro-USB cable in the Data Transfer Tool app suggests that users might be able to connect their iOS and Android devices using the aforementioned cables to directly transfer their iOS data to Android.
This method can help further simplify the process of data transfer from iOS to Android, which can be a hassle as of now. Currently, backing up data to Google Drive is the best choice.
As for the availability of the Switch to Android app on Apple’s App Store, it is currently unclear when Google plans to release it. However, we suggest you stay tuned for further updates and let us know your thoughts on the upcoming iOS-Android migration app from Google in the comments below.
