Your Phone for Windows has been available for more than three years now. The program lets users see images, manage alerts, send text messages, and make phone calls from their Android phones while connected to a Windows PC. As the program has matured, it has added features such as smartphone settings, the ability to run multiple Android phones, and the ability to run Android apps on the PC.
To go along with the app’s recent Windows 11 visual upgrade, Microsoft is also adding a few additional names to the experience.
Phone Link has replaced Your Phone as the PC app of choice. Your Phone Companion to Link to Windows is the Android app’s new name.
This new name was chosen because “we envision this experience as more than simply bringing your phone into your PC but as a bridge connecting the two devices,” Microsoft explained. It’s also possible that Phone Link’s name and purpose are a little more simple than Your Phone’s, which was always strange: Because of this, it’s more convenient to have two apps: Phone Link and Link to Windows. Microsoft also points out that the icons for both programs have been merged.
For those using a Surface Duo or a Samsung Galaxy phone, there is no change here. As long as Android has supported OS-level integration with the service, Microsoft has provided two distinct experiences: Link to Windows and the rest (the app is built into Android and Settings with added functionality). All other Android phones had been Your Phone Companion before this one. Microsoft now refers to the app as “Link to Windows” on all Android devices that support it.
Despite Microsoft’s claim that the Phone Link design will not change, the company has already begun rolling out its new Windows 11 design. A new version of the app has been released “new Windows 11 controls, a new colour scheme, and a more polished appearance give a more natural app experience. The new app’s design has softened edges, new images, and improved iconography.”
OOBE will soon have a new experience.
Windows 11 will have a new feature called “Easier setup with Phone Link,” according to Microsoft, despite the introduction being mostly focused on renaming.
If you are installing Windows 11 on a new PC for the first time, you will have an opportunity to set up Phone Link as part of the out-of-the-box experience (OOBE). A user’s Android phone will be able to download the Link to Windows software from the Google Play Store via a simple QR code scan.
Until recently, Link to Windows was only available on Samsung and Surface Duo devices. Apps support and the ability to utilize the notification shade’s fast tools are two of the most major enhancements to the operating system (instead of screen mirroring).
In addition, the Windows 11 System Tray now supports quick access to commonly used programs on Samsung phones.
The Honor brand, which is extremely popular in China, is now gaining similar support from Microsoft. More gadgets will be added to the list “over the next several months,” according to the company. For these functionalities to be made available to the user, it’s likely that Honor’s upcoming OS upgrades will include this deeper integration.
The world is eagerly awaiting the arrival of Fast Pair for certain Android devices from Google, but where does Microsoft take Phone Link?
Microsoft hasn’t spoken much about upcoming features, which is logical given how much it can do with Android and Windows already. Even while it doesn’t have all the features of a full-fledged phone, it does have a lot of the basics covered.
Why doesn’t Phone Link have any more features? Despite the fact that iPhone compatibility would be great, Apple isn’t going to play well with Microsoft, so it’s doubtful. Let us know where you believe Microsoft can enhance its “bridge” between your mobile device and your desktop or laptop PC. ReplyForward
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