Android device users can now move all their Whatsapp chat history to iPhones by using the Move to iOS app. Photo: EPA
Android device users can now move all their Whatsapp chat history to iPhones by using the Move to iOS app. Photo: EPA
Android device users can now move all their Whatsapp chat history to iPhones by using the Move to iOS app. Photo: EPA
Android device users can now move all their Whatsapp chat history to iPhones by using the Move to iOS app. Photo: EPA

Arts & Culture

WhatsApp users can now transfer chats from Android to iOS

The feature was previously only available for switches from iOS to Android

The National

June 15, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

WhatsApp users who are switching to an iPhone from an Android-powered device can now take their message history with them.

Until now, it has only been possible to transfer WhatsApp data when moving in the other direction — from an iPhone to Google's Android platform — and this feature was only introduced last year.

Apple said its Move to iOS app, which can be downloaded to Android phones, has now been updated to securely transfer WhatsApp data. The app is already used to switching over other phone data including contact details, photos and videos.

WhatsApp said the transfer will take place while remaining fully encrypted and that it will begin to roll out on Tuesday, but will take about a week to reach all users.

"We're adding to WhatsApp the ability to securely switch between phones and transfer your chat history, photos, videos and voice messages between Android and iPhone while maintaining end-to-end encryption," Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive of Meta, of which WhatsApp is a part, posted on Facebook.

"This is a top requested feature. We launched the ability to switch from iPhone to Android last year, and now adding Android to iPhone as well."

The new feature comes a month after WhatsApp launched a function that enabled users to react to WhatsApp messages with a simple emoji, rather than having to type a response.

The feature was introduced so that "people can quickly share their opinion without flooding chats with new messages", according to a blog post announcing the move.

How to transfer WhatsApp data from Android to iOS

  • Make sure your iPhone's software is updated to iOS 15.5 or above.
  • Wipe the iPhone and set it to factory settings.
  • Your Android phone needs to be on version 5.0 or above.
  • Make sure your WhatsApp is updated to the latest version on the Android device.
  • On the Android phone, download the Move to iOS app and follow the instructions.

— Additional reporting by PA News

WWDC 2022: 10 takeaways from Apple event — in pictures

  • A welcome sign at the entry to Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California, before the keynote presentation at the company's conference. AP
    A welcome sign at the entry to Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California, before the keynote presentation at the company's conference. AP
  • Tim Cook, chief executive of Apple, is displayed on a screen speaking during the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. Bloomberg
    Tim Cook, chief executive of Apple, is displayed on a screen speaking during the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. Bloomberg
  • Mr Cook speaks on stage. AFP
    Mr Cook speaks on stage. AFP
  • Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president for software engineering, speaks during the keynote presentation at the conference. AP
    Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president for software engineering, speaks during the keynote presentation at the conference. AP
  • Apple's Katie Skinner shows Safety Check in iOS 16 as the company's WWDC22 begins. Photo: Apple
    Apple's Katie Skinner shows Safety Check in iOS 16 as the company's WWDC22 begins. Photo: Apple
  • Mr Federighi talks about new software features in iOS 16. Photo: Apple
    Mr Federighi talks about new software features in iOS 16. Photo: Apple
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    Mr Federighi introduces iOS 16's reimagined lock screen. Photo: Apple
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    Corey Fugman, senior director of merchant solutions at Apple Pay, introduces new features. Photo: Apple
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    Vice president of health, Sumbul Ahmad Desai, talks about new Health features coming to iPhone and Apple Watch. Photo: Apple
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    Apple's Corey Wang talks about the redesigned Home app in the keynote video. Photo: Apple
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    Apple's Kristin White unveils the new MacBook Air. Photo: Apple
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Anxiety and work stress major factors

Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.

A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.

Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.

One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.

It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."

Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.

“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi. 

“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."

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South Africa:
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Bangladesh:
Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Mustafizur Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Tamim Iqbal, Taskin Ahmed.
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2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks

2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit

2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”

2022:  Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency

July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”

Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.

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Country: Galway, Ireland

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Favourite golf course: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club

Favourite part of Dubai: Palm Jumeirah

 

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Born November 11, 1948
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Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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2017 The Square, Ruben Ostlund

2016 I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach

2015 Dheepan, Jacques Audiard

2014 Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan

2013 Blue is the Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapitres 1 et 2), Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux

2012 Amour, Michael Haneke

2011 The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick

2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Lung Bunmi Raluek Chat), Apichatpong Weerasethakul

2009 The White Ribbon (Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte), Michael Haneke

2008 The Class (Entre les murs), Laurent Cantet

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England squads for Test and T20 series against New Zealand

Test squad: Joe Root (capt), Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Dominic Sibley, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes

T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Pat Brown, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Chris Jordan, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Matt Parkinson, Adil Rashid, James Vince

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Name: Capt Shadia Khasif

Position: Head of the Criminal Registration Department at Hatta police

Family: Five sons and three daughters

The first female investigator in Hatta.

Role Model: Father

She believes that there is a solution to every problem

 

Updated: June 15, 2022, 10:40 AM
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