It’s a small revolution that is about to take place on Windows. From today, via the Insider program, it is indeed possible to directly connect your iPhone to your PC via the Connected Mobile application. In other words, it is possible to use iMessage anywhere other than on an Apple device.
Yesterday, Microsoft unveiled a whole batch of new features that are about to arrive in Windows 11. If there was plenty to eat for everyone, including the integration of AI from Bing directly to the taskbar, another feature caught our eye. And for good reason: it further strengthens the link between the operating system and Apple devices.
Indeed, the Redmond company has announced that the Connected Mobile application, which allows you to control your Android smartphone from your Windows PC, is now compatible with iPhones. In other words, it is now possible to use iMessage natively on your computer, in addition to making and receiving calls or consulting your notifications without touching your iPhone.
You can now use iMessage from a Windows PC
To do this, Windows 11 uses a Bluetooth connection to ensure the link with the iPhones. As a reminder, the connection can also pass via the WiFi network for Android smartphones. Note, however, that the feature has some limitations. For example, it is impossible to send photos or to participate in group conversations.
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Similarly, the app will not display message bubbles in blue or green, as it is still unable to determine where the messages are coming from. Finally, users will not have access to the chat history. Only messages sent from their PC will be displayed on the screen. It’s a very stripped down version of iMessage, but it’s a very promising start for Windows 11 users.
“It’s something we’ve wanted to do for a long time”says Yusuf Mehdi, head of consumer marketing at Microsoft, in an interview with The Verge. “The experience with Android is quite good, and we felt we had to release something[pour l’iPhone]».