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You can do this today with the Intel Unison app. Been synching my photos, transferring files and getting iMessage/call notifications on my thinkpad for a while now. It does require windows 11. Although it says it requires a 12th gen Intel it’s been running fine on a couple of 11th gens here.
 
This has been around for a little while via Intel Unison, which I’ve tried and it works well for what it is. The limitations of doing things through bluetooth prevent me from using it a lot though since many of my iMessage conversations are group chats which are not supported.
 
It's about time, took Microsoft long enough.

Guys...this has been available for years through Dell's Mobile Connect software (and others). There's nothing "special" about it. All it's using is standard messaging functionality through Bluetooth...the same as it does in your car.

Note: Dell did discontinue their Mobile Connect software earlier this year. Presumably because it was nearly the same as Microsoft's built-in solution, except that it also supported iPhones. Microsoft's version didn't, until now.
 
This has been around for a little while via Intel Unison, which I’ve tried and it works well for what it is. The limitations of doing things through bluetooth prevent me from using it a lot though since many of my iMessage conversations are group chats which are not supported.
Been around even longer with Dell Mobile Connect. Microsoft’s built in approach doesn’t really do anything different than Unison or Mobile Connect.
 
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Microsoft really making waves lately. I wonder whether they will reintroduce Microsoft Bob to try to better compete with MacOS.
 
Surprised you didn't just go console. Most games are developed for consoles then ported over to PC.
I’d say that’s backwards. Games are developed and tested on computers.

QA starts happening on consoles and maybe for marketing/money reasons they are publicly available on consoles first, but I’d say all the development happens on computers up until QA reports bugs that happen only on the console.

Top end computers will always have the best version. It’ll be downsized to work on whichever consoles.
 
Interesting. Is there something to give me this feature in Linux (namely, Raspian?)
Sure, look for Linux code supporting Bluetooth MAP. windows is just making the computer pretend to be a car infotainment system.
 
wait what?!?! wow! This plus the rumored sideloading incoming is unbelievable. Bravo Apple!

I am assuming the iPhone screen can be off with this implementation? I thought that was a weakness of Dell Mobile Conenct. I have not heard of the Intel application before.
 
Surprised you didn't just go console. Most games are developed for consoles then ported over to PC.

Oh buddy you just outted yourself as a console peasant. Now I gotta bully you with facts and knowledge 🧠

Firstly, no most games are not developed for consoles then PC. All games are made on a PC and the majority of games are on PC. Stop spreading that already debunked myth

Secondly, Microsoft releases all their games on PC now. Sony's started doing the same with a year gap between PS5 and PC release, with the exception of live service titles those will be day in date according to PS Studios head Herman Hulst.

Thirdly, there are a lot of games, and I mean a lot that are only on PC or start on PC due to the resources needed for console versions for smaller teams, as well as waiting to get store approval. The two recent indie games that are making waves Pizza Tower and Sons of The Forest are a prime example. Minecraft for years was only on PC & Mac till 2012 and even then the console versions didn't get feature parity until 2018.

Fourthly, best quality and moddability man.

ps5_vs_pc.00_17_12_26.still002.png


 
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I wouldn't mind so much if this was a feature that could be uninstalled. There is so much bloat in Windows that I long for the days of Windows 7. Even Windows 7 had a lot of unnecessary junk, but it's svelte compared to Win10 and Win11. There is absolutely no call to have tablet centric features on a desktop used for business.

Lemme delete Edge off my machine, dagnabbit.

Gawd, if M$ made Excel on the Mac equal to the Windows version, I'd have no reason to use a Windows machine anymore. DoJ needs to look into why M$ is purposefully crippling Mac Office.😠 Duh, it's to keep Windows competitive.😑
 
Like others have mentioned, I've been using the Intel Unison program to get messages from my iphone to my PC, since I use a PC at my workplace. Unfortunately a fair number of my messages are group chats, and there's no historical syncing of messages so if a message gets sent or received while I'm away from the office then it doesn't appear in the Unison app. Sounds like Phone Link is going to be a similar type of connection. Here's to hoping that it will either be better than Unison, or will mature to something more akin to my experience with my macbook air.
 
May be time for me to upgrade my machine to Win11 since it's been pestering me to do it every so often haha
 
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Apple has made Apple Music available on android and allows android users to join FaceTime calls through a browser and now Microsoft announces limited iMessage support...
 
Microsoft couldnt have done this without Apple...so this is here to stay
I know nothing about how it works, but given the named limitations, it sounds like it's just using a simple Bluetooth connection to display messages received and send new messages. I would assume that this type of limited functionality could be easily accomplished with no support from Apple.

I suspect that Apple did not assist at all since that would be a departure from their current position to keep iMessages exclusive to the Apple ecosystem.
 
May be time for me to upgrade my machine to Win11 since it's been pestering me to do it every so often haha

As someone who's been on Win11 for a year, don't.

The only good thing in Win11 is the fact File Explorer has tabs now, a feature macOS and Linux have had for almost two decades now. Everything else about 11 is just baffling UI design.

Just wait for Windows 12 since they're making that update more macOS like from the previews we've seen

windows-12.jpg
 
Surprised you didn't just go console. Most games are developed for consoles then ported over to PC.
Can I upgrade a console? Can I crank my graphics to 4k Ultra settings on a console? Can I emulate games on a console without jumping through hoops? Can I play just about any game made within the last 25 years on a console? Consoles are nice but except for the occasional exclusive there is no reason to get one if you already have a PC.
 
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