Windows 10 Users Will Soon Be Able to Send Phone Text Messages from PCs

[Karamjit]

Microsoft brings PCs and smartphones closer together

Microsoft has confirmed that future Windows 10 builds would bring a new feature to insiders (and to retail users with the Anniversary Update in the summer) that will allow them to send SMS messages from their phones using only their desktops.

One of the objectives that Microsoft wants to accomplish with Windows 10 is to bring together PCs and mobile phones and this is one of the reasons the company talks about all devices running its new operating system, be they desktops, handsets, tablets, or tablets, as a whole.

Windows 10 as a platform for all devices

Windows 10 is regarded as an entire platform powering all these devices and that’s why Microsoft is not at all upset with the rather small share of its mobile business. It only wants Windows 10 to grow bigger as a whole platform, trying to offer the same look, feel, and features across all devices.

And one way to do that is to connect PCs and smartphones running Windows 10. A new feature that will debut in the coming builds will allow users to send text messages from their desktops through their phones to any contact.

This feature already exists on iOS and Microsoft is believed to be planning to provide Windows 10 users with a feature similar to Apple’s Handoff that creates an even more advanced connection between PCs and smartphones. It would basically allow to start work on a PC and then continue on a phone from where you left off, so you can write an email on the desktop and then leave and continue adding text while on the go on your phone.

Only Windows 10 Mobile devices supported at first

But for the moment, Microsoft is only bringing in the possibility of sending text messages from the desktop through phones. Only Windows 10 Mobile devices will be supported at first, but if a Handoff-like feature is being developed, Cortana could bring such features on non-Windows devices too.

“We will soon be enabling a preview of the ‘Messaging everywhere’ feature in Windows 10 that allows you to send and receive text messages from your phone directly from your Windows 10 PC’s. You will see options for this feature in the Messaging app on PC however an update is required for the Messaging app for Mobile for this experience to work. More to come on this when the experience is live,” Microsoft’s Gabe Aul, head of the Windows Insider program, explained.

There’s no timing info as to when this feature is supposed to arrive, but since the Anniversary Update should be here in July, expect to get it as soon as possible.

From: http://news.softpedia.com/news/windows-10-users-will-soon-be-able-to-send-phone-text-messages-from-pcs-502664.shtml

[straycat19]

Not bad enough to get spam emails, now they are going to give everyone running windows 10 the ability to send spam texts.  What the FUCK are they thinking!?!?!?!?!

Time to enable stringent monitoring of incoming texts and only allow them from the contact list.  I already have my home phone run through a computer that only allows phone calls from four area codes that I have family in and then further blocks those number prefixes within those area codes that they don't have.  I haven't received any calls from telemarketers in over 10 years since setting this up.

 

[luisam]

Is Microsoft trying to implement a proprietary cross-platform instant messaging client for smartphones using the Internet to send text messages?

I'm really NOT IMPRESSED, at all. Actually WhatsApp for iOS and Android is already in this business since about 7 years including the possibility to send documents, images, video, user location and audio media messages to other users using standard cellular mobile numbers! And as of February 2016, WhatsApp had a user base of one billion, making it the most popular messaging application!

On the other hand Windows 10 platform covers less than the 3% of the mobil market. Does they really believe seriously that they can compete with all those smartphones? Looks to me kind of a desperate move.

[misieeq]

i hope it will have at least half of the features that pushbullet has  a native efficient solution in windows 10 would be desirable

[mjall]

yeah would love a pushtalk button rather a text;

[pc71520]

Before adding new things,

it would be wiser

to improve the current ones.