In a rare collaboration, Apple and Google are joining hands to streamline the data transfer process between iPhone and Android. While both platforms offer their own set of tools to transfer between devices to reduce friction, the collaboration will further ease the process by adding the ability to transfer more data types.
Apple and Google cross-platform switching is live in latest Android Canary build
Both Apple and Google have confirmed to 9to5Google that they are working together to make Android-to-iPhone transfers or vice versa more seamless and efficient. Google says the work from the collaboration is already live in Android's latest Canary 2512 build for Pixel smartphones.
iOS support, on the other hand, is expected to arrive in a future iOS 26 developer beta. The current implementation is in early testing, and both brands have promised to add support for additional data types before the official launch.
Since these are pre-release builds, it may take a considerable amount of time to iron out the inconsistencies in the transfer process on both sides. There's currently no information about the release date of the final version.
To clear the smoke further, we're sure that this won't be a Pixel-only improvement but will extend to all Android devices. A wider rollout could take a considerable amount of time, as Google might need to work with smartphone manufacturers, too.
With the existing uncertainty around the release timeline, users can still use the Android Switch and Move to iOS apps to transfer their data from Android to iPhone and vice versa. For those unaware, the existing apps can move WhatsApp chats, Contacts, Photos, Messages, Media, Accounts and Apps (no app data transfer).
Apple and Google coming forward and working together is once in a lifetime cosmic phenomenon that's incredibly rare, and it's great that this work will benefit both sides. Huge props to the brands, and we can't wait to see how it transforms the transfer process.
