On Wednesday, WhatsApp revealed that it is adding a highly-anticipated feature to its platform – the ability to transfer chat histories between iOS and Android phones. The chat history will include all conversations, photos, and voice notes.
Prior to this, if users switched from an Android to iPhone or vice versa, they would either have to use third-party apps to transfer their data or resort to other unfavorable measures. With the new feature, WhatsApp is finally offering a simple solution for users who do not want to let go of their data when switching from Android to iOS or the other way around.
WhatsApp is rolling out the ability to transfer chat history between Android and iOS
WhatsApp made the announcement for the long-rumored feature at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event. At the moment, the feature covers transfers from iOS to the company’s new Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 and other Samsung phones “in the coming weeks.” However, the feature will become available for all transfers between iOS and Android, though we do not know when it will be fully rolled out.
A user’s chat history is end-to-end encrypted on their own device, which is why transferring chats was so difficult for the company. WhatsApp says it worked with major operating system makers around the globe to make this feature possible.
“WhatsApp will be introducing the ability to move your entire WhatsApp chat history — including voice notes, photos, and conversations — in a seamless and secure way if you choose to switch mobile operating systems,” the company said in its announcement. “The feature means that people will be able to switch between the platforms of their choice, and take their WhatsApp history with them.”
The feature will help users deal with one of WhatsApp’s more frustrating features or the lack thereof. Previously, if users chose to use WhatsApp’s cloud backup feature, then iOS chat histories were stored in iCloud, and Android’s were stored in Google Drive. This made it impossible to transfer chat histories between phones running different operating systems
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