The alleged reason the app is being created is that European telecoms are having difficulty selling Android devices to iPhone users due to the complications involved while switching, saying they only see a tiny fraction of users ever switch. Operators said they are dependent on revenue from iPhone sales for most of their profits.

This tool will act as a counter balance to the Move to iOS app which Apple released this past Autumn with iOS 9. The Move to iOS app helps former Android users import contacts, message history, photos, videos, web bookmarks, mail accounts, calendars and free apps to their new iPhone.

The development of the rumoured app is a bit strange given Apple's attitude on vendor lock-in. Just in the last few weeks we've heard Apple plans to scrap the 3.5mm headphone jack which is present on pretty much every digital device in the world from stereos and TVs to computers, phones and tablets. Apple has also used its own charging connectors on devices up until now too, in contrast to MicroUSB (now superseded by USB Type-C) which is commonplace on most smartphones..

No further details have been released on the application, it's not known when the app will be made available, if at all.