WhatsApp enables data migration from iOS to recent Samsung phones

WhatsApp and Samsung have made it possible to transfer the chat app history from iOS to Samsung smartphones. This has to be done during the initial setup of the Samsung phone, and it requires a model with Android 10 and the correct cable.

WhatsApp sets out the terms for the migration in a blog post and on a help page. Users must have a Samsung smartphone running at least Android 10 with the Samsung Smart Switch app pre-installed. That app must have at least version 3.7.22.1.

The requirement that the migration must take place during the initial set-up means that the Samsung smartphone must have received the update to that app version, dating from the beginning of August, via a system update, so that it is also incorporated in the system image and therefore present when using for the first time or after a factory reset. All in all, it can be concluded that the migration is currently only supported on very recently released Samsung smartphones and devices that have had a system update just as recently.

In addition to these requirements as to how new the Samsung phone is, one must have a usb-c to Lightning cable. WhatsApp on the iOS side will require version 2.21.160.17, on Android version 2.21.16.20 and users will have to use the same phone number. WhatsApp also reports that peer to peer payment messages are not included, as well as WhatsApp call history. The Facebook subsidiary states that ‘soon more Android devices’ will be able to use the migration function.

Until now, migrations between these two platforms had to rely on tools from third parties. It is not yet clear whether the migration from Android to iOS is coming soon.