Apple is developing an iPhone-to-Android data migration tool in Europe. But do people really want to leave iPhone for Android?
The Digital Markets Act (DMA) legislation is in effect in Europe, which means iPhone sideloading is technically a thing. In practice, third-party app marketplaces aren’t here yet, so you can’t sideload any apps right now. But the March 7th deadline for compliance surfaced a document from Apple that outlines all the ways it’ll change the iPhone in Europe to meet the DMA requirements.
One upcoming change is something I didn’t expect. Apple is building a software tool to make it easier for iPhone users to switch to Android if they so desire.
It’s unclear why Apple would be developing the measure considering the state of the European smartphone market, where Android is the dominant mobile operating system. Not only that, but switching from iPhone to Android — or the other way around — isn’t very difficult to begin with.
Anybody who thinks iPhone users aren’t switching to Android because it’s difficult needs to hear the truth. iPhone users simply don’t want to move to Android, no matter how easy Apple makes it to switch.
The compliance document
Apple addressed the upcoming iPhone-to-Android switch tool in a compliance document. Here’s the language Apple uses to describe the forthcoming data migration software app:
Apple plans to make further changes to its user data portability offering. Third parties offer migration solutions that help users transfer data between devices with different operating systems. To build on those options, Apple is developing a solution that helps mobile operating system providers develop more user-friendly solutions to transfer data from an iPhone to a non-Apple phone. Apple aims to make this solution available by fall 2025.
