Microsoft
Today, Microsoft said it will begin rolling out support for iMessage in Windows 11 through the Phone Link app, with some key limitations.
Microsoft previously announced this feature as part of other planned Windows updates it unveiled in February, including AI built into the search bar and the addition of tabs to the Notepad app. Phone Link for iPhone users was already available to Windows Insiders in an early preview, but the public rollout begins today.
Phone Link has been around for a long time, but previously only worked with Android phones. Now it also works with iPhones, but the feature set is relatively limited. The basics are more or less here, though: iPhone users can use their Windows PC to make and receive calls, read and reply to text messages, view notifications, and access their iOS contact list.
Unfortunately, they can’t participate in group messaging conversations, nor can they send or receive images or videos. In addition, the supported Phone Link functions only work if the phone is continuously connected wirelessly to the PC via Bluetooth.
While the implementation here is more limited than most users would like, it’s a small step forward for the integration of iPhones and Windows PCs – something many people will certainly like to see. According to the numbers, the iPhone is much more popular than the Mac, and there are many people who use a Windows laptop or desktop, but also use an iPhone on the go. Sure, Apple has offered apps like iCloud for Windows to handle things like bookmark syncing and the like, but it never felt as natural as it should, given how many people are in this situation.
Apple has fiercely guarded its iMessage platform so that the biggest drawback of iMessage for many users compared to alternatives is that you only need an Apple device to use it. Now you still need to have one, but at least you can use your Windows PC to interact with iMessage on a basic level.
Microsoft says this feature will roll out to users’ PCs in the coming weeks. Some people will have access today, but others will have to wait. Phone Link for iPhone requires iOS 14 or later and Windows 11, not Windows 7, 8, or 10. It also doesn’t work with iPads.
