Microsoft on Tuesday made an important announcement that will help iPhone users who also use a Windows PC as their main computer. The latest beta version of the Phone Link app for Windows 11 will allow users to access iMessage on iPhone and perform basic chat functions.
Microsoft provides details on how this will work on their Windows Insider Blog. The Phone Link app, which previously used Bluetooth to connect only to Android phones, will have a new option for iPhones. Once connected and set up, users will have basic support for accessing contacts, making calls, and using iPhone messages for text conversations.
However, message support does not go beyond one-on-one interaction. According to a Microsoft blog post, group messaging is not supported and you won’t be able to send images, audio, or video. In an interview with The Verge, Microsoft’s Yusuf Mehdi also notes that Phone Link can’t tell the difference between a standard text message and a message sent via iMessage, so no green or blue bubbles in the chat. Also, Phone Link can only see the messages it has sent and received, so it won’t display the full chat history on the iPhone.
Microsoft hasn’t mentioned if iMessage features like editing or unsending messages, as well as bubble and screen effects will be available, but it’s safe to assume they won’t be. However, for a very large number of iPhone users who also use a Windows PC as their primary computer, this is another long-awaited new feature to access Apple devices and services. Last November, Microsoft added access to the Windows 11 Photos app to iCloud Photos. Microsoft also has preview versions of the Apple Music and Apple TV apps for Windows; these applications are to be completed later this year.
The new version of Phone Link with iOS support is currently in beta testing and is only available to developers in the Windows Insider Program. Microsoft is slowly making the app available to developers, and more developers will be able to access it over time. Microsoft hasn’t announced when the app will go public, but it will most likely be part of the Windows 11 update.