Google and Apple partnering on Android-iPhone switching (no, really) — here's how it could work

Google and Apple have confirmed that they have teamed up to give iPhones and Android phones a smarter, built-in data transfer option for users who want to switch between their devices.

The two companies confirmed as much in a statement to 9to5Google. And on Google's side, the upgraded data transfer feature has made its first, incomplete appearance in the most recent version of Android Canary (2512).

Both companies already offer apps to make the cross-OS transfer process as easy as possible, but this still ends up leaving data behind for various intended and unintended reasons. Plus, it requires extra steps compared to transferring between devices on the same OS. So it's nice to see both companies admitting they can do better and working together to do it.

Android-iPhone Switching: What we know so far

Android Authority found parts of the upgraded transfer feature available within the Google services section of the Settings app and during device setup in the December Android Canary build.

As the screenshots show, there's now a "Copy Data" option under the Pair with iPhone or iPad option, joining the existing "Transfer eSIM" tool. Tapping Copy Data asks users to add a session ID and passcode, as well as explaining that the iPhone you're transferring to needs to be on iOS 26.

In a related app teardown, Android Authority also found that the current Android Switch app on Pixel phones just got an update that enables more kinds of data to be sent. Specifically, AA identifies accessibility settings, music playlists, passwords and passkeys, cards in your Wallet app and WiFi credentials as new transferable data types. Hopefully iPhones will be able to accept these data types from Android phones.

How long will we have to wait?

"Canary" versions of software are often used by Google, and simply refer to a unique version of an app only made available to a select few users, where they can try the feature prior to launch, giving developers the chance to make changes before millions of potential users start to try it. It's definitive proof of Google working on this feature, but we could see it removed, restored and altered several times before we're presented with the final version.

Other than this being an iOS 26 feature on iPhones, it's not clear when this will become available, either in beta or as a stable version. It also raises the question of what users with older iPhones, unable to update to iOS 26, will be expected to do should they wish to switch to Android, beyond using the existing Android Switch app.

While this promised future of easy data transfers between the two primary smartphone types is still obviously unfinished, it's an exciting indicator of the simplified future we may have down the road. There are, of course, more hurdles that users may want to be lowered or removed to convince them to switch platforms. But this is a great start..

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