'Your Phone' apps integration now available to all (with a Samsung smartphone)

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We've reported many times over the last year (e.g. here) on Microsoft's 'Your Phone' system, constantly improving in terms of how much of an Android smartphone can be seen and used on a wired or wirelessly-connected PC. OK, ok, so far only Samsung phones have the required 'Link to Windows' hook-up - other Android phones are supported at a much more rudimentary level. But still, it's rather impressive integration - being able to pin Android apps into your Windows 10 Start screen and run them (in a window) as if they were PC apps. Today sees the rollout of all this to non-beta-testers, to non-Insiders. So if you have a Samsung smartphone from the last three years and a Windows PC then you're in and you can play!

From Microsoft:

Good stuff, I've been playing with this on my trusty Galaxy S9+ and if there's enough interest then I'll shoot a real world demo video of Your Phone in action as of September 2020.

There's also a helpful FAQ:

How do I interact with apps?

You can use your PC’s mouse, trackpad, keyboard, pen or touch-enabled screen to open, type, scroll, and interact with apps. A few tips for using your mouse and keyboard: 

  • Single click  will behave the same as any single touch/tap interaction 
  • Right click  anywhere on your phone screen to navigate to the previous page 
  • Click and hold will behave the same as a tap/hold interaction 
  • Click and hold and drag to select content  
  • Mouse scroll to move between pages vertically or horizontally 

Some games and apps might not work with a mouse or keyboard. You'll need to use a touch-enabled PC to interact with them. 

How do I pin Android apps into Windows?

You can pin your Android apps to the Windows Start menu, taskbar, or add it to Your Phone app favorites. To pin an app on your PC: 

  1. Open the Your Phone app 
  2. Go to Apps  
  3. Right click on the app icon you want to pin or add to your favorites 

Are the apps from my Android device now installed on my PC?

No, apps you open on your PC will be running from your Android device. Your Android device needs to be on and connected to the same Wi-Fi network in order for this to work. The Your Phone app is connecting and mirroring apps to your PC from your Android phone.  

Can I open multiple apps at the same time?

No, you can only open one Android app at a time. The Your Phone app is mirroring your Android device’s screen and the opened app in it. If you open a new app, the one you already have open will be replaced with the new app.  

If you're in any way unsure if your Android phone qualifies, then Microsoft has a full list here.

Do you use Your Phone? It's not quite Continuum, but it is a working, supported, and improving slice of lateral thinking from Microsoft. Now I'd like to see deals with other phone manufacturers to get the full 'apps' experience integrated. Currently if you have any other Android handset, you're limited to notifications, calls and photo syncing. If you still want to play with this then it's here in the Play Store.

Source / Credit: Twitter