Motorola Hopes to Lure iPhone Owners to Moto X with New iCloud Data Migration Tool - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Motorola Hopes to Lure iPhone Owners to Moto X with New iCloud Data Migration Tool

by

Google's Motorola arm is attempting to streamline the process for iPhone users to switch to its flagship Moto X device by enabling it to extract contacts and calendar events from iCloud backup files. The new tool was announced yesterday by Motorola vice president of product manamgenet Punit Soni on Google+ (via GigaOM).

motorola_icloud_service
The service, which also has an official support page, is powered by syncing service Mark/Space and is done through Motorola's MotoMaker web service, which allows users to customize the color and details of a Moto X device. The iCloud transfer service can be intiatied after a user has bought a Moto X from MotoMaker and selects the "I have an iPhone" option from within the Migrate feature, and transfers the data to a Google Account after the user has signed into their iCloud acocount.

Addressing the new iCloud migration tool, Soni notes that "There is a long way to go, but its a start", which may indicate that the transfer service will see updates in the future.

Motorola originally announced the Moto X in August, with the device including a number of features such as a 720p AMOLED display and Touchless Control via Google Now integration. In February, handset manufacturer HTC launched a similar service for iPhone owners switching to the HTC One, but offered data migration direct from iPhone backups, which transfers more data compared to Motorola's iCloud sync service.

Top Rated Comments

KazKam Avatar
167 months ago
Yeah, that's why I don't switch to an Android phone, because I'm worried about transferring my iCloud data. /s

o.O
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
167 months ago
I tried switching, and now I'm happily back, and it wasn't because of missing iCloud synch. They still need to solve photo and iTunes music synch, device backups that are thorough and reliable, and lots of usability issue with Android.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djtech42 Avatar
167 months ago
Have to admit this is a smart move
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
167 months ago
Yeah, that's why I don't switch to an Android phone, because I'm worried about transferring my iCloud data. /s

o.O

I doubt this is aimed at tech board readers so much as people who were on the fence about switching but don't want to deal with the hassle of transferring from one OS to the other. This is for the casual phone user and not the pro user.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
167 months ago
I found it interesting that they just plain ask for your icloud username and password. If this wasn't Motorola it would basically be a security risk :o
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Solomani Avatar
167 months ago
Yeah, that's why I don't switch to an Android phone, because I'm worried about transferring my iCloud data. /s

o.O

I'm sure that for the majority of people who prefer iOS over Android to begin with, among the Top Ten Reasons.... "Because I desperately gotta have my iCloud!" is simply not one of them.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 18 Pro Rumored Colors

What's Coming in September: New iPhones, Apple Watches and More

Thursday August 13, 2026 4:20 pm PDT by
Apple will introduce at least five new devices at its iPhone-centric event next month, and it's also possible we'll get devices waiting on Siri AI like the Apple TV. iPhone 18 Pro The iPhone 18 Pro is going to look like the iPhone 17 Pro, but with a smaller Dynamic Island. It's getting some internal updates, including a new Wide camera with a variable aperture for more control over lighting ...
Everything New Your iPhone Can Do on iOS 27 Feature 1

30 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27

Friday August 14, 2026 6:24 am PDT by
Apple will release iOS 27 in September, and despite the company's focus this year on refining its flagship operating system and nixing bugs, there are still many additional features on the way, not least of which is Apple's new context-aware Siri, re-tooled for the generative AI era. This year's major iPhone software update isn't all about AI, though, as the following feature list...
iPhone 17 One Year Later Thumb 1

Should You Buy an iPhone 17 Now or Wait for iPhone 18?

Friday August 14, 2026 12:15 pm PDT by
For the first time since Apple started selling standard and "Pro" iPhones, we're not going to get an entry-level iPhone model this fall. Apple doesn't plan to release an iPhone 18 in September, and will only launch the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable iPhone Ultra. The lower-cost iPhone 18 won't come out until spring 2027. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...