Apple is developing the unthinkable: an iPhone-to-Android data transfer tool

[Wireless News]

http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/9Dx_kbN1LYPZgfQb89k02Q--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztmaT1maWxsO2g9ODY7cT03NTt3PT EzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/homerun/digital_trends_973/1a600109bdaed56140504f503586a3f6 (http://news.yahoo.com/apple-developing-unthinkable-iphone-android-155759408.html)I can honestly say that I never thought I would see this story ever unfold, but apparently Apple will develop and application to assist iPhone users who want to switch to Android.-The application would make is easier to transfer data such as contacts, music, and photos to Android phones. What’s not surprising about this turn of events is that Apple is not doing this by choice. According to the Telegraph, major European telecoms are pressuring Apple to do so, and a senior industry source says that Apple privately agreed to develop the tool. Related: Apple may not have actually made the big ‘Move to iOS’ app for Android The telecoms feel the reason a small fraction of iPhone users switch to Android is because of the hassle in doing so. It’s just a huge technical issue and consumers don’t want to deal with it. This situation puts the telecoms at a disadvantage when negotiating with Apple since it can dictate whatever it wants. Interestingly enough, last year Apple launched its first Android app called Move to iOS, which is a data transfer too for Android users who want to switch to the iPhone. On top of the normal assistance with data transfers, it also looks at the apps installed on the user’s Android phone to build an app library on iTunes. What was most fascinating about the app was the fact that Apple didn’t develop it, and instead, repackaged an app that was already available in the Google Play Store. Apple followed up with a more polished Android app for Apple Music last November. It’s not getting great reviews from Android users, but Apple did build the app from the ground up with Android in mind. Related: Apple Music chases Spotify with a reported 10m paid subscribers in six months Android apps and data transfer tools were never thought possible back in the days when Steve Jobs was running the show. He wrote in an email that Apple should aim to-“further lock customers into our ecosystem,” not to mention that he declared thermonuclear war on Android. Of course things change, and sometimes you do it for the right reasons, and other times it’s pressure. Either way, this is the right direction for Apple. Also watch: Apple iPhone 6S Plus vs. Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Please enable Javascript to watch this video



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