Microsoft is unveiling a new “Your Phone” app for Windows 10 today at its Build developer conference. The app is designed to provide a mirror of a phone straight to a desktop PC, and it will let Windows 10 users access texts, photos, and notifications from their machines.
Features will vary depending on iOS and Android, but Microsoft can mirror far more Android phone features to a Windows 10 PC so you never have to physically pick up your device while you’re working on a PC. It’s a concept that Dell tried earlier this year, allowing calls and notifications to be displayed on a PC. Microsoft’s app will include access to SMS, photos, and notifications initially.
Microsoft will start testing its Your Phone app with Windows Insiders this week, and the feedback will guide how this eventually ends up being a feature in Windows 10. Microsoft is currently testing the next major update to Windows 10, codenamed “Redstone 5,” and it’s expected to be available in the fall later this year.
Microsoft will detail Your Phone further during its Build keynote this morning (and tomorrow’s Windows-focused keynote), and we’ll update this article with additional information.
Update, May 8th 12:00PM ET: Article updated to include Joe Belfiore’s demonstration of the new app mirroring feature.
Comments
It has not been announced yet. You are early!
By Iamnew on 05.07.18 11:31am
Noooooooo thank you.
By Culby on 05.07.18 11:34am
O… Kay.
By andromorr on 05.07.18 12:53pm
Then, just don’t use it. Geez. I can’t wait for it myself.
By Nargg on 05.07.18 1:24pm
I could say that his or her knee-jerk rejection of this is about as ridiculous as your knee-jerk approval. But of course, tribalism.
By scampibasket on 05.08.18 6:21am
I wouldn’t necessarily call this approval but rather anticipation. Assuming that it works as advertised this might really be a very useful feature. To be honest, such level of integration between the largest desktop OS and the largest mobile OS is more than overdue.
By BonestormDW8 on 05.08.18 8:02am
Knee jerk? I already use the Cortana integration to send and receive texts. It is, however, a clunky interface. Something that can do that with better UI and more control over my phone? That sounds like something I would look forward to. And I do. Reasonably, I believe
By cyrribrae on 05.08.18 10:54am
Does this imply some sort of remote desktop interface into Android? Or will Android apps run on Windows? Seems like a big proclamation with no detail on what it actually is or what it means.
By Carl on 05.07.18 11:41am
I’m guessing they’re using the native mirroring functions on Android to get the image and have a separate app that handles input. Have no idea how they’re going to pull this off on iOS though.
By The Parkster on 05.07.18 11:49am
I assume it’ll be more limited on iOS. I don’t know if this is something I really need on my Windows Desktops or not. It’ll be interesting to at least try it.
By JBDragon on 05.07.18 12:02pm
Responding to texts via keyboard is pretty nice. I believe Apple has had this functionality if you have both a mac and an iPhone for a while, but I’m not sure how long, or how complete functionality is.
By Katholikos on 05.07.18 1:21pm
Since Lion (2012) and it’s pretty good but doesn’t support the in Message apps thing in iOS (no great hardship IMHO)
By Dr Strange on 05.07.18 1:40pm
It also allows you to take phone calls via your mac, which was just as awesome.
By llort on 05.07.18 2:21pm
Yeah, there’s some great utilities to do this already, particularly scrcpy.
By greysonp on 05.07.18 12:02pm
I figure it will work kind of like the Samsung side-sync. If so, it will come in handy
By Soylentgreen77 on 05.07.18 1:22pm
I’m attempting to clarify that exactly with Microsoft, although I believe they’ll detail this more tomorrow. I think first off it will do the basics of texts, photos, and notifications, before moving towards more what Dell offers. They changed their wording from the blog post we were given.
By Tom Warren on 05.07.18 12:23pm
Just the ability to send my text messages directly from my PC would be great!
By llort on 05.07.18 12:33pm
You can do this with Cortana now, but its not pretty.
By pallentx on 05.07.18 2:29pm
And last I check you couldn’t see conversations.
By Max_x2 on 05.07.18 3:03pm
Right, you can just send, then see individual incoming messages as notifications in the notification panel.
By pallentx on 05.07.18 4:03pm
Easy with apps like PulseSMS (Android).
By ProductFRED on 05.07.18 3:34pm
How about calls? They’ve been promising that on Build on years #brokenpromises #botchedimplementations
By PrinceKickster on 05.07.18 8:52pm
Also they should just update he Messaging app and Phone app instead to be modern and cloud connected to your other phone. So that even if you don’t have a phone but your PC is cellular connected, you can like Text on it with the built in eSIM, and also so you can have ability to like register thru cellular promos on there, same with ability to dial *121# on Phone app, and even receive phone calls right on your PC.
If they’ll stick with this implementation and grinding it Your Phone that’ll be a missed opportunity again
By PrinceKickster on 05.07.18 8:56pm
Samsung does this already with their Galaxy S line with the Flow app. It provides a window displaying the phone screen that you can click on, it works over wifi. You can also have your notifications pop up just all the others on Windows and interact.
Samsung deserves more credit for their innovations.
By HenDrake on 05.07.18 11:51am
You’re thinking of sidesync, and it’s a laggy POS.
By CoryDS on 05.07.18 12:41pm