Transfer of apps and app data from CAT branded Android 8.0 to Moto G 5G 2024 (Android 14 or 15) - how much manual work?

I would definitely try to move things over (if this is your desire).  It doesnt hurt.  You will still have the old data and info on the CAT phone to try to move manually if things dont work or dont work well.

I think the concern in addition to the OS jump, is also the fact you are transferring from one brand to another.

Any transfer will work as much as it can, and if there is an incompatible app then it just wont be transfered.

Got the Google suite of products, most of the app data would be stored in the cloud and likely will be available once you login to your google  account.

The branding on the CAT was light and mostly (all?) is extra apps, not variances from the standard (at least from what one can see - most of it is apps for contractor type users). I try to keep close to standard Android - I’ve had lousy experiences with other people’s Samsungs and some other highly modified versions. 

The Koodo/Telus store tell me they can probably do the migration, but it’s kind of cross town, but I’ll have to scrub my machine first anyway. I’m also unsure how much they want for this… I didn’t think to task. 

My ultimate concern above all other is bricking the (new) phone trying to do the migration from the old.  that would be awful. 

And I guess I will have the CAT 8.0 Android phone. It’s still got great battery (a day or more of light use) and the case is really resilient. It’s just long past any sort of security patches. (I refuse to use wallets or online banking on my phone)

 I’ll give it a try tomorrow - the clean out first and google account sync with photos, drive, docs, sheets and also the downloads and contacts/gmail/calendar. 

Every android phone, when they shipped, should have a migration tool from the old phone to new phone. You could try that app out. For motorola, You can check out their migration app https://help.motorola.com/hc/3213/44/global/en-gb/es07251303.html?topic=es07251303

Transferring files from your CAT phone to your Moto G 5G 2024 should not cause bricking. Bricking usually occurs when modifying the bootloader or partition information table (PIT), which, though rare, may occur during the flashing of some custom Android firmware ROMs.

Flashing custom ROMs and transferring files represent two fundamental processes. While transferring files is primarily a matter of moving data, flashing custom ROMs involves modifying the device’s operating system, which requires technical knowledge and carries potential risks.

It’s best to perform a backup on your CAT phone before starting the file migration procedure. On Android 8.0, go to Settings > Accounts - tap Backup and restore. Make sure the ‘Back up my data’ toggle is enabled. Tap Google Account and verify that Back up to Google Drive is toggled on.  Next, select Backup account or Back up now and follow the onscreen prompts.

The instructions may differ slightly; the info was gathered from my Galaxy S7 running Android 8.0.

Side note: The free 10-minute demo version of High-Q MP3 Recorder works on Android 14 (Unihertz Tank 3 Pro), but when you try to get the app’s pro version, the message reads, “This app isn’t available for your device because it was made for an older version of Android.” The High-Q MP3 Recorder app has not been updated since 2020. Since your audio files are in mp3 format, the Rode Reporter app might be an option.

RODE Reporter App