WhatsApp finally lets users move their entire chat history when changing between Android and iPhone

WhatsApp FINALLY lets users move their entire chat history when they change between an Android and an iPhone – including voice notes, photos and conversations

  • WhatsApp users will be able to move chat history between Android and iPhone
  • New feature applies to users switching from Android to iOS and iOS to Android 
  • It means people can now take voice notes, photos and conversations with them
  • Roll out to begin on Android first, starting with Samsung’s new Galaxy foldables

WhatsApp is finally allowing its users to move their entire chat history when they change between an Android and an iPhone. 

It means people will be able to take voice notes, photos and conversations with them if they switch operating systems, which was not possible until now and had been a major source of frustration for many consumers. 

The Facebook-owned messaging service said its upgrade, which will allow users to switch from Android to iOS and from iOS to Android, had been ‘one of our most requested features from users for years’.

It will begin the roll out on Android initially, starting with Samsung’s new Galaxy foldables, which have been unveiled today.

Upgrades: WhatsApp is finally allowing its users to move their entire chat history when they change between an Android and an iPhone (pictured)

WHAT IS END-TO-END ENCRYPTION?

End-to-end encryption ensures only the two participants of a chat can read messages, and no one in between – not even the company that owns the service.

End-to-end encryption is intended to prevent data being read or secretly modified when it is in transit between the two parties.

The cryptographic keys needed to access the service are automatically provided only to the two people in each conversation. 

In decrypted form, messages are accessible by a third party – which makes them interceptable by governments for law enforcement reasons.

Facebook-owned WhatsApp is already encrypted, and now Mark Zuckerberg is looking to do the same with Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct. 

To start, users will be able to take their WhatsApp history from iOS to an Android device, and will subsequently be able to do the same on iOS devices. 

‘Your WhatsApp messages belong to you. That’s why they are stored on your phone by default, and not accessible in the cloud like many other messaging services,’ said Sandeep Paruchuri, product manager at WhatsApp.

‘We’re excited for the first time to make it easy for people to securely transfer their WhatsApp history from one operating system to another. 

‘This has been one of our most requested features from users for years and we worked together with operating systems and device manufacturers to solve it.’

Users around the world can start to use the feature to take their WhatsApp chats to a Samsung device that runs Android 10 or higher in the coming weeks.

The announcement was made as Samsung launched one of its most expensive smartphones yet – the £1,700 Galaxy Z Fold3 – which folds vertically down the middle of the screen. 

The new phone is one of two new additions to the Galaxy Z series – Samsung’s line of foldable phones. 

The firm calls Galaxy Z Fold3 ‘a true multitasking powerhouse’ with a main screen measuring 7.6 inches when unfolded and an exterior cover screen measuring 6.2 inches. 

It’s also the first ever foldable device from Samsung to come with an S Pen stylus – commonly found with the company’s Note range. 

The Korean tech giant, which claims ‘the future is foldable’, has also launched the £1,000 Z Flip3, which flips open like a retro 90s phone thanks to a horizontal hinge through the middle of the screen. 

Both devices are 5G compatible and have IPX8 water resistance. They’re available for pre-order today (August 11) and go on sale August 27.

Samsung had already released the original Galaxy Z Fold in 2019 and its follow-up the Galaxy Z Fold2, as well as the original Galaxy Z Flip, last year. 

Samsung calls the Galaxy Z Fold3 (pictured) 'a true multitasking powerhouse' with a 7.6-inch Infinity Flex Display and IPX8 Water Resistance

Samsung calls the Galaxy Z Fold3 (pictured) ‘a true multitasking powerhouse’ with a 7.6-inch Infinity Flex Display and IPX8 Water Resistance

Galaxy Z Fold3 has two screens - one smaller one on the outside that customers can use when it's folded, and the larger interior screen

Galaxy Z Fold3 has two screens – one smaller one on the outside that customers can use when it’s folded, and the larger interior screen 

Samsung has also launched the £1,000 Z Flip3 (pictured), which flips open like a retro 90s phone thanks to a horizontal hinge through the middle of the screen

Samsung has also launched the £1,000 Z Flip3 (pictured), which flips open like a retro 90s phone thanks to a horizontal hinge through the middle of the screen

But these two new additions are the most durable phones in the Galaxy Z series so far, the company claims. 

The Galaxy Z Fold3 will start at £1,599 – down from £1,799 for last year’s device – while the Z Flip3 starts at £949, down from the £1,229 price tag of the previous version.

Last week WhatsApp also launched a new Snapchat-like feature called View Once, which causes your photos and videos to ‘self-destruct’ once they’ve been opened.

It differs from the recently-launched ‘Disappearing Messages’ feature, which causes messages to disappear within seven days of being opened.

The smartphone app hopes View Once will make it easier and safer for users to send sensitive information. 

BEST WHATSAPP ALTERNATIVES

If you’re considering deleting WhatsApp, you’ll be happy to hear that there are several alternative apps to choose from:

1. Telegram

With more than 400 million users, Telegram is one of the most popular WhatsApp alternatives. 

While it looks very similar to WhatsApp, what sets it apart is the fact that it gives the option to set messages to self-destruct after a given period of time, leaving no trace. 

Telegram also offers end-to-end encryption.

However, as a WhatsApp spokesperson pointed out, Telegram ‘does not offer end-to-end encryption by default so it’s not necessarily more secure than WhatsApp’.

2. Signal 

Signal is one of the most secure messaging apps, thanks to the fact that it is open-source. 

This means that the code for the app is publicly available to view, making it near-impossible for the app’s creators to sneak in any backdoors that could allow governments or hackers to spy on your messages.

3. iMessage

If you use an iPhone, you may consider simply switching to iMessage, Apple’s own messaging app. 

The app has a number of impressive features included no character limits, the ability to send pictures and videos, and of course Apple’s animated emoji feature, Animoji.

Unfortunately, iMessage is only available for iPhone users, so you’ll struggle to interact with anyone using an Android. 

4. Google Messages

Google’s answer to iMessage is Google Messages, an Android-only messaging service. 

The app replaces your standard SMS app, and integrates with all of Google’s apps and services, making it easy to share images or use Google Assistant. 

5. Facebook Messenger

If you were put off using WhatsApp due to its sharing of data with Facebook, Facebook Messenger may not be the best option for you.

However, the app offers a number of helpful features, including games, secret conversations and video calls. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk