Microsoft Connects Up Windows 10 To Android And iOS

Microsoft has announced a new app which will allow mobile users of multiple platforms access to Windows 10.

Phone Companion is an in-built app to Windows 10 that will allow users to connect to Windows 10, even if they have an Android or iOS smartphone.

The company says that the new service will make all your files and content ‘magically available’ on your PC and phone.

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This includes a new OneDrive capability that means that every photo you take on your phone will show up automatically in the Photos app on your Windows 10 PC.

Music purchases will also sync across your devices using OneDrive and Xbox Music app, including access to Android and iOS, and users will also now be able to work on documents from any device without needing to worry about moving files around.

“Whether it’s a 3-year-old printer or projecting to your brand new TV with Miracast, we’re building Windows 10 to be terrific at connecting all your devices,” Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore wrote in a blog post announcing the news.

“In a multi-device world where you move between your phone, tablet, and PC multiple times a day – you expect your experience to go wherever you do.

“That’s why we built Windows 10 on a common core and enabled Windows Universal Apps, so people using Windows 10 for both their PC and smartphone experience will get an optimal, seamless experience as they transition devices throughout the day.”

Lastly, Phone Companion also brings a new Cortana app for iOS and Android devices. Acting as a companion app to the Cortana service within Windows 10, Microsoft’s voice-search service will now be able to send reminders, help with searches, or dictate messages whatever device you own.

Previous searches will sync across devices, so users won’t need to keep cross-checking, with Microsoft hoping this will help encourage Cortana adoption versus the native Siri and Google Now services.

“At Microsoft, we want everyone to love not just their Windows 10 PC, but all the devices they own, working with their Windows 10 PC,” Belfiore added.

Phone Companion will launch with the latest part of the Windows Insider program, set to launch in a few weeks, ahead of a wider Window 10 release later this year.

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