New Zealand iPhone users will soon be able to send text messages, make phone calls and access their iPhone contacts using a PC, Microsoft has announced.
The US tech giant is rolling out Microsoft Phone Link for iOS on Windows 11 in 85 territories, including Aotearoa, with all users set to have access by mid-May.
While using an iPhone with a Mac will still have many advantages over using it with a PC, Phone Link for iOS will mitigate some of the disadvantages.
Android users have been able to use the Phone Link app (previously entitled Your Phone) for years and with much more functionality than will be offered to iOS users, at least initially. For example, Phone Link for iOS won't allow access to an iPhone's photos via the PC, as is the case on Android, along with other features like app mirroring that aren't launching with the iOS version.
An official blog post by Ali Akgun, Microsoft's corporate vice president for Windows and Devices, explained how PC users can access an iPhone's pics via the Photos app.
"Once enabled by the Windows 11 customer, Phone Link for iOS will offer basic iOS support for calls, messages and access to contacts," said Akgun.
"This means if your phone is tucked away during a presentation or focus time, you'll receive notifications on your Windows PC and can choose which action to take - all on your Windows 11 PC. Need access to your iPhone photos on your PC? Our iCloud integration with Photos makes this a simple process - all within the Photos app in Windows 11."
To use Microsoft Phone Link for iOS, you will need:
- An iPhone with iOS 14 or higher
- A Windows 11 device
- A Bluetooth connection
- The latest version of the Phone Link app.
