WHATSAPP CONSIDERS CHAT HISTORY TRANSFER OPTION FROM IOS TO ANDROID

WhatsApp is reportedly paving a way for its users to transfer their chat histories from iOS to Android, according to WABetaInfo and 9to5Google.

The feature could fix what annoys the people most while switching from the platforms using the Facebook-owned messaging service, as it’s not officially possible to transfer a backup of your messages between iPhone and Android, but only between phones running the same operating system.

Details of the feature, still underway, have appeared in WhatsApp software since early this year.

WABetaInfo has shared screenshots to show the new “Move chats to Android” option in WhatsApp’s iOS app.

THANK YOU @XDADEVELOPERS FOR YOUR RECENT DISCOVERY ABOUT THE “SWITCH TO ANDROID” APP, TO MIGRATE WHATSAPP CHAT HISTORY FROM IOS TO ANDROID. 🤩
THESE SCREENSHOTS SHOW HOW THE PROCESS WORKS. THIS FEATURE IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND IT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN A FUTURE UPDATE. HTTPS://T.CO/FMZBXI33L2 PIC.TWITTER.COM/W7GICUHSUS

— WABETAINFO (@WABETAINFO) JULY 28, 2021

Another of the three screenshots shows a screen asking iPhone users to keep the device unlocked with WhatsApp open as the transfer takes place.

Most of the evidence has pointed towards an iOS to Android transfer feature so far, but the independent WhatsApp news portal has previously reported that the opposite will also be possible.

WhatsApp’s new transfer tool could form part of a new “Switch to Android” iOS app under development from Google, XDA Developers reports.

Similar to the “Move to iOS” app that Apple offers to help users migrate from Android to iOS, Switch to Android could make it easier to migrate to Google’s operating system.

Migration feature news comes as WhatsApp beta tests multi-device support, allowing users to access their conversations from multiple devices, without needing to route everything through a single phone.

It’s, however, currently unclear when any of these features might be widely available.