The Apple ecosystem is the reason many people flock to the Mac over Windows devices. They already own an iPhone, so buying a Mac that works easily with it seems like an obvious next step.
Now, however, the highly requested Phone Link app for Windows 11 finally supports iPhone, finally making some of those ecosystem features a bit more cross-platform. The update to the app was announced in late April but is available to use today.
Most notably, the Phone Link for iPhone update will allow you to use iMessage from a PC. You can connect your iPhone to a Windows 11 PC and send and receive messages through iMessage. You can also make and receive calls and phone app notifications while using a PC or laptop.
Microsoft began beta testing the Phone Link app for iPhone with its Windows Insiders in February. The company said feedback about the additional device support has been positive, with reviewers stating: “This is exactly what I’ve been hoping for on my Windows PC.”
The update is available for iOS in 39 languages across 85 markets. It works via a Bluetooth connection, as that is how the smartphone connects to a Windows 11 computer. Typically, iMessage has the smoothest transition from iPhone to iPhone. However, Microsoft makes Phone Link work by grabbing incoming iPhones’ text messages via Bluetooth and sending them to its own Windows application.
This functionality is interesting, however, it does cause some limitations within Phone Link for iPhone. For example, the app is unable to save conversation history beyond the present session and does not support group iMessage conversations, photos, or videos. Conversely, many of these features are commonplace on the Android version of the app.
Windows also doesn’t differentiate between iMessage and SMS text messages, so all bubbles will be gray bubbles in the Phone Link for iPhone app.
Requirements for using the feature include an iPhone running iOS 14 or later, the latest version of the Phone Link app, and a Bluetooth connection. With the official app version now available, it should update automatically. However, if it doesn’t, you can check out the Microsoft Store app for more information on the latest updates.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.