A couple of weeks ago I bought a mini PC of an unknown brand, Chinese, with Windows 11 to use as a TV box. It gives me everything I need in a media center, and when I say everything, I mean everything. Using Windows even allows me to enjoy protected content—like Prime Video—at its highest quality. Anyway, this article isn't about that device, but rather something I've tested on it: Mobile Link.
In my computing life, I have been through Windows XP, Ubuntu, macOS — back then Mac OS X –, several Linuxes doing distro hopping and at the same time having some virtual machines with Windows to cover more possibilities. A couple of years after buying my iMac — which is still alive — I had to renew my Nokia N97 and make a decision: switch to Android or iOS. I decided on the latter, and I feel comfortable with iPhoneIt's a personal decision, and I hope it's respected even in communities with users like the readers of a blog like this one.
The compatibility and integration of macOS and iOS is seamless. When I used the ecosystem, I didn't even need the iPhone to mirror anything on the Mac, because I had the same apps and could manage everything from any device. But times change, and so do needs, and it's been almost a decade since I started using it. I put aside the iMac and went back to using Linux as my main system..
To summarize, I use iPhone on mobile and Linux on desktop.
Mobile Link works perfectly with the iPhone
Microsoft and Apple are intimate enemiesThey've always been doomed to understand each other. Apple Music — formerly iTunes — is available for Windows, as is now the iCloud app and the extension for its password keychain. However, there's nothing from Apple for Linux. Furthermore, Apple and Windows work together to make services work well on Windows, and this is an important issue.
Which brings us to Mobile Link, an app I hadn't tried until I had the mini PC. Once launched and configured, we'll see something like the screenshot above:
- The pixelated area is my contacts Recommended messages also appear at the top of that section, but if you delete all SMS, as I do now, the RCS messages may not appear (more on that later).
- Above the pixelated area we see the “Messages” and “Calls” sections, since Mobile Link is compatible with both.
- On the left, you can see the name of the connected device and what would be the control center: I have a notification of a Real Madrid goal and the option to control the music. If you click on the notifications, it sometimes takes you to a web page. If the notification is from WhatsApp, it takes you to the app. At least right now, you can't reply to WhatsApp from "Phone Link."
Additionally, it is possible to send files from one device to the other.
Compatible with RCS…
…in theory. Neither Microsoft, Apple, nor Google says so, but Windows Mobile Link supports RCS messages. Initially, the app is designed to send SMS from your PC, but the reality is that Phone Link isn't much more than a "mirror" of what's happening on your phone. If, as in my case, you disable SMS sending from the settings to send only iMessages or RCS, Phone Link will send the same thing.
I want to insist that This is what the theory says, and the app also warns that charges may apply. I've tried it, checked the invoice, and haven't been charged.
Why KDE Connect is not up to par?
It wouldn't be fair if I just said this and left it at that. It's not up to par if used with an iPhone, since no one at Apple works with anyone in the Linux community and won't open the door to its operation. KDE Connect allows us to connect an iPhone, but only to send files and control the PC from the phone, little more. If I can't send or reply to messages, that's not enough for me.
I'd like to use RCS messaging more, but I don't want to always have my phone in my hand. I'd like to be able to reply to everything I receive on my phone from my laptop, which is why I'm jealous of Windows Mobile Link.
At this point, let's remind you once again that we have a "Linux vs. Windows" section on this blog, for users who feel like criticizing me for writing an article like this. Also, this is volume 2 of things I envy about Windows, software compatibility aside. Will there be a volume 3?