Apple plans to introduce changes to iOS that will make it easier for users to transfer their data and switch from iPhone to Android devices. Apple is making these changes to comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and will roll them out next year.
In a legal document published today by Apple and spotted by The Verge, the company is disclosing some details on how it is complying with the DMA across its platforms, including future compliance plans. Under one section of the document, Apple says that it will introduce changes for iOS that will make it easier for users to switch from iPhone to Android by making it easier to “transfer user data from an iPhone to a non-Apple phone.” The company says that work on this ability is currently underway, and will launch by fall 2025.
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.
Apple DMA Compliance Report
Apple already offers a “Move to iOS” app for users who are switching from Android to iPhone. The app allows users to wirelessly transfer most of their data from an Android device to an iPhone or iPad, including data such as contacts, messages, media, files, email accounts, web bookmarks, free apps, and some settings including accessibility and display.
On the other hand, Google offers a similar “Switch to Android” app on iOS to transfer data from iPhone to Android. While both offerings from Apple and Google don’t cover some data like paid apps and Safari bookmarks, the changes proposed by Apple today should make it easier to move more data types from iPhone to Android and vice versa.
Apple also plans to make additional changes to Safari and web browser apps on iOS. The company says that a future update will enable users to easily and natively transfer their browsing data between web browser apps on the same device. The company says this change should make its way to iPhone users by late 2024 or early 2025. Similarly, iOS users will get the ability to “completely delete” Safari from their iPhones later this year and before 2025.
Management of navigation apps will also receive a change on the iPhone by March 2025, Apple says. The company states that users will be able to set a default navigation app other than Apple Maps thanks to “a new default control for users in Settings” with the poised March 2025 update.
Apple does not explicitly mention whether these changes will be available outside Europe or will be made worldwide. Likely, they will only be available to EU iPhone users just like the app ecosystem changes the company is bringing forward with the iOS 17.4 update.
