Apple is joining the Data Transfer Project which would allow for interoperability of iCloud data with other online sevices. This means that users would be easily able to import and export their data to other services that are a part of the Data Transfer Project.

The Data Transfer Project was launched in 2018 to “create an open-source, service-to-service data portability platform” allowing users to move their data between various online services. Some notable members of the project include Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Twitter. These companies have been a part of the project since its inception last year.

Data Transfer Project (DTP) is a collaboration of organizations committed to building a common framework with open-source code that can connect any two online service providers, enabling a seamless, direct, user initiated portability of data between the two platforms.

Essentially, the Data Transfer Project aims to ensure that the data export and import services offered by various companies are compatible with each other. So, the photos that you export using Google Takeout is compatible with Facebook’s photo importer and vice versa.

Most of the project work has been done at the backend level but some new user-facing features should be rolled out in a few months.

With Apple trying to pivot to a Services company, it is important that the company not only allows users to easily export their data but also import it into other services seamlessly. Data interoperability between the three giants — Apple, Microsoft, and Google — would also greatly benefit consumers and allow them to try out various services from these companies without worrying about their data.

Source: iphonehacks