Microsoft brings iMessage to Windows 11, will it last?
Microsoft announced on Tuesday that it intends to counter one of the major advantages enjoyed by Apple products by incorporating fresh interoperability features to Windows 11. These features will enable Windows 11 to interact with iPhones to view notifications, send texts, and make and take calls.
By connecting an iPhone and a Windows 11 computer via Bluetooth radio, the new feature, which Microsoft is dubbing Phone Link for iOS, will enable “basic” support for calls, texts, and app alerts.
The software is initially only available for limited public testing, and it prevents users from sending multimedia messages like pictures and videos or joining group message chats.
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The feature’s announcement was made in a blog post by Microsoft’s chief product officer, Panos Panay. “This builds on our continued efforts to bring you closer to what’s more important,” he wrote. Microsoft’s attempts with its Phone Link software are merely the most recent in a line of initiatives to better integrate Windows PCs with Apple’s well-known products and services.
In particular, Apple’s iMessage tool for texting and iCloud for pictures, documents, contacts, and calendars helped make numerous sync and messaging services for smartphones popular.
Additionally, it has made use of those technologies to link up its Mac computers, iPad tablets, and iPhone smartphones in a way that observers of the market say makes Apple products stick out.
However, over the last few years, Microsoft has released enhancements that make Windows Computers more similar to Apple products, including an updated photos app that supports Apple devices, more iCloud syncing, and a phone link application for devices running Google’s Android operating system.
Microsoft announced on Tuesday that its new features for Android smartphones would be included in the Windows 11 upgrade, including the capacity to switch on a Samsung device’s personal hotspot from a computer.
According to Microsoft, Samsung customers will also be able to access websites they recently viewed on their phones from a computer. Both features have long been accessible on Apple devices.
Microsoft is starting testing with a “small percentage” of testers this week, but if you’re intrigued, you can test the new Phone Link feature for iOS in the Dev, Release Preview, and Beta networks for Windows Insiders.
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The Windows team at Microsoft stated in a blog post, “We will increase the availability of the preview to more Insiders over time and based on feedback we receive with this first set of Insiders.”
Microsoft has never before supported calls or messaging for iPhone users, so this is a move in the correct direction. The Phone Link interface for iOS is basic in comparison to what’s available for Android. Contrary to other PC link applications we’ve seen from Dell, Intell, and others, Phone Link is included with Windows 11, making it native as well.
I am a law graduate from NLU Lucknow. I have a flair for creative writing and hence in my free time work as a freelance content writer.
