Switching between Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo phones just got easier (Updated)

Switching between different brands of Android phones isn’t the worst experience in the world, but it could certainly be better. Now, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo have announced an agreement to enable more seamless data transfers.

The trio announced improved device transfer functionality on Weibo, allowing you to transfer third-party app data between their phones. This is in addition to the brands offering seamless transfers of system data like contacts and photos.

This addition is particularly important for Chinese users given that Google backup functionality (e.g. the Backup and Restore Tool, Google Drive, Google Contacts, Google Photos) isn’t available in the market. However, it could also be a boon for global users as backing up and restoring third-party app data is still a major challenge on Android phones today if these apps aren’t using Google Drive.

Unfortunately, Oppo confirmed to us just after publication that this functionality is limited to China and that there are no plans to bring it to global markets. But we really hope these companies change their mind, as it could still be a handy addition outside China.

Either way, this isn’t the first time these brands have worked together for a more seamless experience. Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, Realme, Samsung, and others formed an alliance a few years ago to facilitate faster and more reliable local file sharing. This means you can use Oppo Share, Mi Share, Vivo Share, Quick Share, and other branded sharing methods as an alternative to Google’s Nearby Share.

Furthermore, the likes of Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi also teamed up several years ago to let developers upload apps onto all of their stores at the same time. This was especially useful for the Chinese market, as the Play Store isn’t available there. In any event, we’re glad to see mobile brands continuing to work together to make things easier for users.