According to TechSpot, the newly released Android Canary build 2512, available now for Google Pixel 6 or newer devices, introduces a tool to automatically download data from iPhones during the setup process. This aims to streamline switching between iOS and Android by moving photos, videos, contacts, calendars, call logs, messages, and apps. Google and Apple told 9to5Google this is part of a joint effort, with a similar feature planned for a future iOS 26 beta. The update also adds a desktop mode for external displays, developer-level UI customization for app icon shapes, and new brightness controls. The Canary channel, which began in July, provides developers with previews of bleeding-edge features, and users can join via the Android Flash Tool or Android Studio.
The unlikely alliance
Here’s the thing: Google and Apple working together on anything is news. But on making it easier to leave each other’s gardens? That’s huge. For years, the hassle of moving your digital life—contacts, photos, messages—has been the single biggest lock-in mechanism for both platforms. You don’t stay because you love it; you stay because moving is a pain. This feels less like a sudden burst of generosity and more like a preemptive move against regulatory pressure, likely from the European Union. They’re basically getting ahead of being forced to do it. Still, if it works, it’s a win for users. The existing migration apps are clunky, and a built-in, first-party tool during setup could actually make people feel free to choose a phone based on its merits, not its data shackles.
More than just switching
But the data migration tool is just one part of this Canary build. The addition of a desktop mode is the real sleeper feature. Connecting your phone to an external display and getting a proper windowed interface? That’s Google making a serious play to turn Android into a desktop-class OS. It follows rumors of Android 16 laptops with Snapdragon X chips. They’re envisioning a future where your phone is your computer. For developers and power users, that’s exciting. For enterprises thinking about device management, it opens up new possibilities. And speaking of developers, the new UI tweaks—custom icon shapes, granular brightness controls—give them more tools to fine-tune the user experience, which is always a good sign for platform maturity.
What it really means
So, is the walled garden crumbling? Not exactly. Making it easier to switch doesn’t mean they’ll make it easier to interoperate once you’re there. iMessage isn’t coming to Android. The Apple Watch still won’t pair with a Pixel. The deep ecosystem hooks remain. But lowering the barrier to exit changes the psychology of the market. It makes both companies compete harder on the actual quality of their software and hardware, rather than relying on user inertia. That’s healthy. For the average person, this could finally make the “grass is greener” feeling a viable option. You can try that shiny new foldable without fearing a weekend-long data migration nightmare. That’s progress, even if it’s motivated by lawyers in Brussels.
Trying it out
Now, a word of caution: this is a Canary build. The name isn’t a coincidence—these builds are unstable, meant for developers to test against. If you’re thinking of installing it on your primary Pixel using the Flash Tool just to test the iPhone migration, you’re probably in for a buggy ride. This is a preview. The real, stable version of this feature is likely months away. But its existence is the story. It signals intent. And if you do brave the Canary waters and find bugs, Google does want to hear about it through their Issue Tracker. They’re gathering data to make this work. After all these years, it seems the great phone switch might finally be getting simple.
