US electronics giant Apple has revealed its intention to make it easier for users to switch their iPhones to Android phones within the next year as part of the implementation of the European Union's Digital Markets Act, dpa reported.

Anyone with an iPhone can use an app to help convert it to Android, but the process is still difficult for many users because Apple has so far refused to help provide certain types of data required.

The iPhone announced that the conversion option will be available to users by the third quarter of next year. Apple said in a statement that it was developing "a solution that helps mobile operating system developers develop solutions that are more suitable for users to transfer data from an iPhone to a non-iPhone phone."

Apple also aims to allow the ability to transfer data from one web browsing application to another application on the same device by the end of this year or early next year. This shift will facilitate the transition from Apple's Safari browser to Google's Chrome browser, for example.

The EU passed a law aimed at promoting fair competition in the market for digital technology and services, including competition between web browsers. The law aims to prevent companies from giving their services or applications preferential treatment and to distinguish them from the products of companies competing on their devices.

Tight rules have come into force on giant internet platforms within the EU. The European Commission has so far identified 22 digital services from six giant companies required to implement the new rules, including Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, owner of Google, Meta, owner of the US network Facebook and Instagram, along with China's TikTok.

ALJazeera