Apple has announced plans to make it easier for its customers to switch to Android devices as a result of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which came into effect this month.
In addition to supporting alternative app stores, new regulations for EU app developers. and browser selection screens on mobile devices brought by iOS 17.4, Apple said it will also expand its data portability offerings, making it more “user-friendly” to transfer data from an iPhone to another non-Apple device, something which means..android smartphones. That option isn’t available yet, but Apple is committed to having it ready by fall 2025, according to the company.
The announcement was made in a document outlining Apple’s plan to comply with the new EU law, which aims to increase competition in the app ecosystem by requiring Apple to “loosen” its control over the App Store and the iOS. Apple has so far avoided the potential financial impact of DMA on its business by adding new fees for developers who want to switch to DMA rules, despite developer backlash. Beyond the App Store, DMA also deals with data portability. On that front, Apple’s Data & Privacy website is being updated to allow users to export their App Store data to authorized third parties, according to the document. Users today can request to transfer photos from iCloud to Google Photos or download various data collected from Apple apps such as Notes, Calendar, Contacts, Maps, Wallet Activity, Mail, Safari Bookmarks, Reading List and more .
Apple says users will also be able to schedule daily downloads of App Store data for 30 days or weekly downloads for 180 days, and the data provided will be constantly updated to have the most recent version available. Regarding the move to Android, Apple didn’t share much about the new project other than that the feature will help other “mobile operating system providers” create better solutions for transferring data from an iPhone to a non-Apple phone. The company avoids using the term “Android” in the document, but it’s clear that Google’s mobile operating system will be the biggest beneficiary of such a system. Additionally, another solution to export browser data to a new browser on the same device will be ready either later this year or in early 2025, Apple noted.
Today, Android users can use Google’s “Switch to Android” iOS app to transfer important content such as contacts, calendars, photos, videos, messages and more to a new Android device. However, some less critical data is still missing and users need to disable iMessage to make sure their new messages reach their Android. It is not yet clear whether Apple’s new proposal will address these specific issues, as Apple has yet to specify what exactly it aims to improve.
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