Apple is reportedly working on an application to make switching to Google’s Android operating system easier for customers. According to a report from The Telegraph, the device maker agreed to create the app after facing pressure from European operators who say Apple puts up too many barriers for switching, which gives Apple an unfair advantage.
“The operators fear that the lack of switching weakens their hand in commercial negotiations with Apple, which holds the mobile industry’s strongest card in the iPhone. Its popularity among more affluent consumers means operators are dependent on supplies for most of their profits,” The Telegraph report said.
The new app will reportedly provide a simple tool for customers to transfer information such as contacts, music and photos to an Android device.
If the reports end up bearing fruit, this will mark a shift in philosophy for Apple. Co-founder Steve Jobs was an adamant supporter of making it difficult for users to switch, saying he was always looking to “further lock customers into our ecosystem.”
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The European operators believe the technical hassle of transferring data has prevented customers from switching and given Apple an unfair advantage in the marketplace to the detriment of customers.
We’ll see how it shakes out, but as of now, Apple is stealing more customers from Android than it is losing. A report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners showed Apple is stealing users from its rival in record numbers. The report found 26% of consumers who bought the iPhone 6s in the first month it was released were former Android users. That is up 12% from 2014 and 23% since the launch of the iPhone 5s in 2013, according to the study.
Apple has yet to confirm the reports.