[ad_1]
iMessage is coming to Windows 11, minus several features.
The latest Windows 11 Insider update allows iPhone owners to call or send text messages from their PC. Until now, this handy feature was exclusive to Mac computers. But don’t get too excited, as Microsoft’s implementation of iMessage isn’t perfect.
Do you know how Fitbit trackers and car stereos can display iPhone messages via Bluetooth? This is basically how Microsoft’s iMessage feature works. Pair your iPhone with the Windows Phone Link app via Bluetooth; from there, Phone Link can access your contacts and give you some basic calling and texting features.
When I say “basic”, I really mean it. Photos, videos, and group chats don’t work with Phone Link. And any messages you send or receive while logged out of Phone Link won’t appear on your PC; you might be able to get around this problem by leaving an iPad on your desk, but Microsoft hasn’t mentioned iPad support, so I’m not too optimistic.
Still, this is an impressive feature. And it’s much easier to set up than a third-party solution like BlueBubbles (although BlueBubbles does give you a bit more functionality).
I should point out that Phone Link was originally designed for Android. And it offers a much more impressive set of features for Android users, including access to photos. (That said, Windows 11 does officially support Apple’s iCloud. If you need to quickly transfer pictures from your iPhone to your PC, I recommend linking your PC with iCloud.)
Microsoft is slowly rolling out this feature to Windows 11 Insider, Dev, and Beta builds. It will eventually reach all Windows 11 users in a future update. Note that iMessage support probably won’t make it to Windows 10.
Source: Microsoft
[ad_2]
