I would like nothing more than to ditch Apple’s 3-year-old iPhone design and trade up to the sleek new Galaxy S8+ that was released just over a week ago. Samsung’s new flagship phones feature hardware that no other company can compete with right now. Plus, there’s still a painfully long wait until September (or October/November, if the rumors are correct and Apple’s iPhone 8 release will be delayed) rolls around and Apple finally unveils its completely redesigned iPhone 8.
Sadly, switching to the sleek new Galaxy S8 isn’t an option for me personally. I explained why in a recent article, and then I added yet another reason why I could never dump my iPhone for Samsung’s new Galaxy flagship. Of course, not everyone is locked in like me, and plenty of people out there will be ditching their iPhones for a new Galaxy S8 or S8+. It might seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually much easier than you think.
The thought of switching from one smartphone platform to another used to be enough to send people running for the hills. News flash: it’s not 2014 anymore, ladies and gentlemen. In 2017, it’s actually quite easy to switch from iOS to Android or vice versa.
First of all, many people out there are already using Google services for things like contacts and calendar events. Even photos and videos will already be taken care of for anyone using the fantastic Google Photos app on his or her iPhone. iCloud is great for some things, but using platform agnostic services like the ones Google provides (for free, if you’re willing to pay with your personal data) is a better option in many ways. Google services will never be integrated into iOS as deeply as iCloud, but they work on any device and afford other nifty features iCloud does not.
Whether or not your contacts, calendar events, and media files are covered by cloud services like Google’s, it’s still wonderfully easy to move all of your data from your old iPhone to your new Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+. In fact, all you’ll need is a computer and two pieces of free software.
First, you’ll need to download and install the latest version of iTunes (and just think… this might be the last time you ever have to use iTunes!). Once installed, use iTunes to make a new backup of your iPhone just like you normally do. Apple’s instructions can be found right here if you’ve never backed up with iTunes before.
Once that’s done, head to Samsung’s website and download the Samsung Smart Switch app for Windows or macOS. Some apps designed to help you move data from an iOS device to an Android device are clunky and unreliable, but Samsung’s app is actually pretty solid. Open Smart Switch, connect your new Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ to your computer with the supplied USB-C cable, and the app will walk you through the process.
Smart Switch uses the iPhone backup file created by iTunes to transfer your data to your new Galaxy S8. When you first connect, the app will ask if you want to back up your Galaxy phone, restore your phone, or sync your phone. You’ll select the option to restore it, and then you’ll click on “Select a different backup” and choose “iTunes Backup Data.”
After that, all you can choose which data you’d like to transfer to your Galaxy S8 (contacts, calendar, notes, photos, etc.), and you’re done. You won’t even lose your call history, text messages, or iMessages, since all of that data can be transferred as well.
Now all that’s left to do is enjoy your new Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+. I’m already jealous.
