Microsoft Now Rolling Out iMessage Support on Windows With Several Limitations

[MacRumors]

Microsoft today announced it is beginning to roll out iPhone support to the Phone Link app on Windows 11. In a blog post, the company said this functionality will be available to all Windows 11 users around the world by mid-May.

With the Phone Link app for Windows 11 and the Link to Windows app for iOS, iPhone users can make and receive phone calls, send and receive text messages, and view notifications directly on their PC. Notably, this means Windows 11 kind of supports iMessage, although there are several limitations, including a lack of support for group chats, photos, videos, and conversation history beyond the current chat session.

All messages appear as gray bubbles in the Phone Link app, meaning iMessages and SMS text messages cannot be differentiated on a PC. In addition, messages are only delivered to a PC while the iPhone is connected via Bluetooth. Microsoft says the iPhone must be running iOS 14 or later, and this feature is not available for the iPad or Mac.

All in all, this is a rather clunky workaround to Apple's lack of true iMessage support on Windows, but it's better than nothing for iPhone users with a PC. Microsoft had been testing iOS support for the Phone Link app in beta since February.

Article Link: Microsoft Now Rolling Out iMessage Support on Windows With Several Limitations

 

[alchemistmuffin]

Apple’s going to kill this quickly sooner or later. Even with limitation, Apple won’t like the fact that iMessage is being sent out from non-Apple device.

 

[lazyrighteye]

I don’t use a combo of Windows-based PC and an iPhone, so I struggle to see the point here. From what I can tell, I’d probably just use my iPhone for messages and calls as opposed to barely doing so on my PC.

 

[EllZ89]

whats the point in releasing this when even basic features such as photo sending/receiving isnt supported?

 

[toobravetosave]

would be awesome to have this full featured on a legit competitor to the air if a windows manufacturer can ever build one

 

[BabyBoii]

"there are several limitations, including a lack of support for group chats, photos, videos, and conversation history beyond the current chat session."

so.... yeah

 

[giggles]

The title doesn’t reflect the content of the article.

 

[JCCL]

Clever way to workaround the limitations set by apple, similar to the implementation from Intel Unison app. Fortunately in my country no one uses iMessage so I don't have an use for this, and can use the new Whatsapp desktop client which works perfectly fine.

 

[TinyMito]

Alright, time to leave macOS for Windows.




/jk

 

[magicschoolbus]

Apple will kill this in a software update.

 

[Steve121178]

Apple’s going to kill this quickly sooner or later. Even with limitation, Apple won’t like the fact that iMessage is being sent out from non-Apple device.

I'm sure the EU will investigate, should Apple interfere with this. It's almost like Microsoft are fishing for Apple to behave in an anti-competitive way in order to open a few more doors for further iPhone integration with Windows 11.

 

[rerutnevdA]

As long as you need to tether it to an iPhone. I get enough spam texts as is. If this ever opened up could you imagine the number of spam iMessages?

 

[Phantom iCloud tabs]

I'm sure the EU will investigate, should Apple interfere with this. It's almost like Microsoft are fishing for Apple to behave in an anti-competitive way in order to open a few more doors for further iPhone integration with Windows 11.

Yeah, nothing screams "anti-monopolistic" like Microsoft!

 

[erikkfi]

iMessages and SMS text messages cannot be differentiated on a PC

Oh no, Windows users aren't subject to low-contrast, accessibility-unfriendly, punitive color schemes to try to manipulate users into badgering their friends to switch phone brands.

 

[djeeyore25]

Apple should fight back by adding support for Microsoft Bob on macOS.

 

[roland.g]

And it will only work between 10am and 2pm when it's not raining.

 

[zorinlynx]

How does this even work? I didn't know there was an API for external devices to access your iOS messages. Could there be potential security concerns?

 

[Choco Taco]

I don’t use a combo of Windows-based PC and an iPhone, so I struggle to see the point here. From what I can tell, I’d probably just use my iPhone for messages and calls as opposed to barely doing so on my PC.

“I don’t use it, so I don’t see a point” is always such a winning statement. There are millions more iPhone users on Windows than on Macs. If you can’t see why this would be useful, I don’t know what to tell you.

Having said that, the entire selling point of Macs is iMessage capabilities and there’s also Apple’s walled security garden, so in general, I don’t see this lasting very long … as nice as it would be to have.

 

[MacDaddyPanda]

Meh, to little to late. Now I have both Windows and Mac Mini. And the mini has become my general internet computer so this feature has become useless to me. Windows being my gaming only computer. I'm not gonna be texting anyone while I'm gaming lol. AT least not enough to feel the need to have it up on my Win PC screen.

 

[BigBlur]

Apple’s going to kill this quickly sooner or later. Even with limitation, Apple won’t like the fact that iMessage is being sent out from non-Apple device.

Why would they? They're just doing this with standard messaging functionality over Bluetooth, similar to how messaging works in some cars. Also, Dell had a similar app for years.

 

[zorinlynx]

Oh no, Windows users aren't subject to low-contrast, accessibility-unfriendly, punitive color schemes to try to manipulate users into badgering their friends to switch phone brands.

Is this really common in some circles? I've heard people talk about this but I've never actually seen someone give someone a hard time about their messages being green or blue. I certainly don't give a crap; sure it's slightly less convenient to not see "Delivered" but as long as they get the message that's what matters.

 

[james2538]

How does this even work? I didn't know there was an API for external devices to access your iOS messages. Could there be potential security concerns?

I'm guessing the same way that text messages show up in some vehicles via bluetooth.

 

[Schnort]

How does this even work? I didn't know there was an API for external devices to access your iOS messages. Could there be potential security concerns?

I assume bluetooth connectivity has a 'message' profile. My car can receive and send messages via my phone when its attached.

FWIW, I would really enjoy an app/website on my work machine that lets me iMessage without pulling out my phone.

 

[james2538]

Is this really common in some circles?

Teenagers

 

[ersan191]

Apple’s going to kill this quickly sooner or later. Even with limitation, Apple won’t like the fact that iMessage is being sent out from non-Apple device.

This would break a lot of other Bluetooth devices (especially vehicles) that read text messages, so I doubt it.