How to Transfer your Contacts from a BlackBerry to an iPhone

Access your BlackBerry contacts from another phone

We show you how to transfer contacts from a BlackBerry to an iPhone

Before we begin let me say that there is nothing at all wrong with BlackBerry phones - I personally love my BlackBerry Z10. But I also use an iPhone 5, and I would like to be able to transfer business contacts from the BlackBerry to the iPhone. I guess I'm not alone.
In this piece I'll show you how to do two things: two ways to transfer contacts from an older BlackBerry to an iPhone, and further down how to transfer contacts from a BlackBerry 10 device to another phone such as the iPhone. We've had to use an app to transfer contacts from the BlackBerry Z10, however, and would love to hear from anyone who has a better solution.

How to transfer contacts from BlackBerry to iPhone: method 1

The prescribed way to transfer contacts from older BlackBerry handsets is to use the BlackBerry Desktop software app. Simply connect your BlackBerry to your PC and start the BlackBerry Desktop software. Go to Device, Backup, and back up your phone - making sure that the Contacts are being backed up.
Now that your Contacts are on your PC, simply connect your iPhone and launch iTunes. Just below the main playback information window. Select 'Info', and then tick the box next to 'Sync Contacts'. The next time you sync your iPhone on that PC your contacts will sync with your iPhone.

How to transfer contacts from BlackBerry to iPhone: method 2

That method works, but it is a little kludgy. A better method is to use Google Sync. That way your contacts are in your Google account, and you can access them from just about any device. Unfortunately, you can no longer use this method unless you pay for Google Apps for Business. Clearly, you are unlikely to do that for this reason alone, but if your business uses Google Apps the following may work:
1. On your BlackBerry go to m.google.com/sync. Download the google sync app when prompted.

2. Launch the app and enter your Google account username and password - if you have a Gmail account it's this login. If you don't have a Google account (and we'd be surprised), setting one up is free. Just open a Gmail account - you don't have to use it for email.
2. Now select 'Sync Now'. Your contacts will copy over to your Gmail account.
3. Head to your iPhone. Choose Settings; Mail, Contacts, Calendars. Now hit Add Account and choose Microsoft Exchange - you need to enter this email account as an Exchange account in order to fully sync contacts. Enter your Gmail address where it asks for email and again where it asks for username. Enter your Gmail password. Hit Next.
4. Now scroll to the 'Server' field, and type m.google.com. Set 'Sync' to Yes under both 'Contacts' and 'Calendars'.
Your contacts data is now in your iPhone (as well as your Gmail account, should you wish to access it from your PC).

Transfer Contacts from BlackBerry 10 phone to iPhone

Not being a Google Apps for Business subscriber we couldn't get the above method to work on our BlackBerry Z10. And BlackBerry 10 phones don't come with BlackBerry Desktop software. Instead they bundle BlackBerry Link, which doesn't offer the same function.
The only good way we could find to move contacts from the BlackBerry Z10 was by using InTouch - a free app you can get from BlackBerry World, upload your contacts, and then install on to other devices. InTouch supports iOS and Android, as well as older Nokia Bada phones. And you can install a beta of the app into your desktop browser. Sounds good right? Well, it is. And it works for all BlackBerries, as well as those other phones.
Think of it as Dropbox for contacts. If anyone knows of a better way to transfer contacts from BlackBerry 10 handsets, I'd love to hear them! Let me know in the comments below, or @mattjegan.
1. Download and install the app. Accept the conditions.

2. Set up an account. Hit Register, then give your name, email, mobile number, as well as a username and password. Then hit Register again.

3. The app will now download your contacts from the BlackBerry. And, well, that's it. Install In Touch on any other device, or access your account from a desktop browser, and you can use all of your contact data. Indeed, update your account from anywhere and it will sync to all of your devices.