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Google’s newest app makes it easier to switch to Android

By Michael Allison April 19, 2022

After a soft launch last week, Google today confirmed it was making its “Switch to Android” app available to users on the App store. Much like Apple’s equivalent Move to iOS app for Android users, the app tries to speed up the process of moving to Google’s ecosystem, albeit, with a few snags.

You can find the app available at the App Store, with Google saying to TechCrunch that it’ll become available worldwide over the next few days.

Google Switch to Android app screenshot.

Google Switch to Android app screenshot.

Google Switch to Android app screenshot.

Google Switch to Android app screenshot.

There are limitations that make it easier to switch to iOS than Android, and those are set to be lifted in the coming weeks. You can’t transfer all your apps wholesale from the iPhone by this method — you’ll need to go to the Play Store and select them one by one.

This isn’t the only way to transfer from iPhone to Android. If you own a Pixel 6 or S22 and an iPhone with a USB C to lightning cable, you can do everything the Switch to Android app offers and more.

“With the recent Android 12 release, we added the ability to transfer all your essentials by connecting your iPhone with your new Android phone using a cable. With your permission, Android automatically matches and installs the same apps from Google Play, and lets you easily bring your SMS and iMessage history with you, along with photos, videos, contacts, calendars, and more,” Google shared in October 2021.

To be very clear, if you’re buying a Google Pixel or another phone with Android 12 on board, you’d be better served holding on to your iPhone and then using the cable method described above rather than the Switch to Android app.

At the same time, while the company’s objectively superior method is available, the Android 12 limitation paired with the need for a Lightning cable means that the Switch to Android app could become a better option over the coming months as Google improves it.

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