Microsoft releases new Update for the Your Phone App allowing users of Android devices to cast their Apps directly onto the Win 10 Desktop

[soldier_ph]

Summary

Microsoft today announced with the Galaxy Unpacked Event, which you can check out here, that it's now gonna enable users of Android devices to directly cast their Apps onto the Windows 10 Desktop via a new Update for the Your Phone App on Windows. The new feature builds upon the already existing mirroring functionality that the Your Phone app provides, you can access a selected list of Android Apps in the Your Phone application and launch them directly off of your mobile device accordingly. The Apps from your Android phone will run in a separate window outside of the Your Phone App, just like a standard VM environment. This new feature update also allows Windows 10 users to multitask with other Windows 10 Apps via alt+tab support, and you’ll even be able to pin these Android apps to the taskbar or Start menu. One big part of this new Your Phone experience is being able to run multiple Android apps side by side, something that Microsoft announced with Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 launch earlier today. Windows 10 users won’t be able to access this particular feature until later this year on the Galaxy Note 20, and Microsoft says it’s also working with Samsung to bring this to other devices. 

 

Quotes

Quote

-Quote from the Verge Article-

 

Microsoft is now allowing Windows 10 users to run Android apps side by side with Windows applications on a PC. It’s part of a new feature in Your Phone, and it builds upon the mirroring that Microsoft’s Your Phone app already provides. You can now access a list of Android apps in Microsoft’s Your Phone app and launch these mobile apps accordingly. These will run in a separate window outside of the Your Phone app, mirrored from your phone.

This new Android app support also allows Windows 10 users to multitask with other Windows apps with alt+tab support, and you’ll even be able to pin these Android apps to the Windows 10 taskbar or Start menu. The ability to launch apps directly from Your Phone means you no longer have to search around on a mirrored experience of your phone, you can simply pin your favorite Android apps to the taskbar and run them as if they’re regular Windows apps.

One big part of this new Your Phone experience is being able to run multiple Android apps side by side, something that Microsoft announced with Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 launch earlier today. Windows 10 users won’t be able to access this particular feature until “later this year” on the Galaxy Note 20, and Microsoft says it’s also working with Samsung to bring this to other devices.

Not all Android apps will work seamlessly with this new Your Phone feature, though. Microsoft warns that some may block the ability to cast to other screens, producing a black screen instead. Some apps and games will also not respond to a keyboard or mouse, and others may play audio from your phone.

If you’re interested in trying out the new Your Phone apps feature, you’ll need a Samsung device. Microsoft has a list of all supported Android devices, but it’s literally only Samsung handsets right now.

 

My thoughts

This is a pretty cool new feature, I'm looking forward to using it with WhatsApp and the YouTube App on the Desktop once Microsoft and Samsung also add support for other Android devices. 

 

Sources

The Verge

 

Microsoft Blog Post

 

Supported Your Phone devices for the new feature

[TetraSky]

So it's just for Samsung devices so far... And only the newest models. Mine from 2017 sure ain't on that list.

I personally wouldn't be using the feature anyway since my phone would literally be sitting beside me anyway. If I wanted android stuff on my PC, I'd use an emulator like NOX.

[lazypc]

I was a little surprised to see my Samsung A70 on the list. I think it's a solid phone and am happy I bought it, but it's not the flagship Galaxy line and I'm surprised these features were not contained to flagship phones. Especially considering the A70 doesn't support DeX, which could be considered Samsung's version of this feature.
Gave it a shot, but am on mobile hotspot with my phone at the moment and apparently that doesn't allow the screen mirroring  to work, so I'll give it another shot when I get home.

[DrMacintosh]

Only thing I can see this being useful for is Home Theater PCs if you don't already have a smart TV that doesn't have Chrome Cast. 

[Brooksie359]

5 hours ago, DrMacintosh said:

Only thing I can see this being useful for is Home Theater PCs if you don't already have a smart TV that doesn't have Chrome Cast. 

Yeah I am trying to think of any andriod app that I would want to be on my desktop. I dont think there is any for me. I mean most apps that I use have better desktop versions already. 

[Zodiark1593]

2 hours ago, Brooksie359 said:

Yeah I am trying to think of any andriod app that I would want to be on my desktop. I dont think there is any for me. I mean most apps that I use have better desktop versions already. 

There are some games and emulators that would mirror well, and my iPhone is actually faster at web browsing and the LN web app than the work PCs, though it kind of defeats the purpose of using a mobile device if I have to fire up another computer to be able to do the mirroring. 
 

Phones have the performance to do a lot of tasks as a stand-alone computer. I’d like a dock that I lay my phone flat in, and have it function as a mousepad, with a full keyboard and display connected to the dock. While it won’t replace a desktop for extended heavy loads, I can get a lot done with the computing power available in my pocket if software and interface limitations were lifted somewhat, including formerly heavy tasks such as photo editing. 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Brooksie359 said:

Yeah I am trying to think of any andriod app that I would want to be on my desktop. I dont think there is any for me. I mean most apps that I use have better desktop versions already. 

I wish this was for Mac. No downloading Netflix on a Mac as no client.

[xAcid9]

Man, Your Phone app never work for me. 100% timed out when i tried to sync. 

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

13 hours ago, Pascal... said:

My thoughts

This is a pretty cool new feature, I'm looking forward to using it with WhatsApp and the YouTube App on the Desktop once Microsoft and Samsung also add support for other Android devices. 

but why? whatsapp has a desktop app, and why would you use remote desktop for youtube on a desktop machine? 

[lazypc]

 

But how else will you browse the McDonald's app on your phone like an American!!!

[Doobeedoo]

Cool and all. Things like WhatsApp you can already have as deskopt app or web one. 

[soldier_ph]

6 hours ago, Ashley said:

but why? whatsapp has a desktop app, and why would you use remote desktop for youtube on a desktop machine? 

I don't like the layout of the WhatsApp Desktop App. I meant using this new feature was like using a VM on your Desktop. I didn't say anything from using YouTube in a VM, you misunderstood me there. 

 

Also to add to the Apps I would use on the Win10 Desktop: The Connect app for my Smartwatch, the Xiaomi Yeelight App (for my lighting) and the Xiaomi Mi Home App for my other IoT devices from Xiaomi, the Google, Microsoft and LastPass Authenticators (to be able to directly copy the 6 digits codes into the Website or Application I'm trying to sign in to) and the App for my Sony Headphones. 

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

3 minutes ago, Pascal... said:

I don't like the layout of the WhatsApp Desktop App. I meant using this new feature was like using a VM on your Desktop. I didn't say anything from using YouTube in a VM, you misunderstood me there. 

 

Also to add to the Apps I would use on the Win10 Desktop: The Connect app for my Smartwatch, the Xiaomi Yeelight App (for my lighting) and the Xiaomi Mi Home App for my other IoT devices from Xiaomi, the Google, Microsoft and LastPass Authenticators (to be able to directly copy the 6 digits codes into the Website or Application I'm trying to sign in to) and the App for my Sony Headphones. 

sure, but like, why would you only do that now, when features like this have been available through the use of third party software since ages? 

[soldier_ph]

3 minutes ago, Ashley said:

sure, but like, why would you only do that now, when features like this have been available through the use of third party software since ages? 

Well I like to try out new stuff and I mean if it's going to be so convenient as advertised then why not.

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

Just now, Pascal... said:

Well I like to try out new stuff and I mean if it's going to be so convenient as advertised then why not.

it's microsoft software do you actually believe it'll work well and reliably?  

[soldier_ph]

Just now, Ashley said:

it's microsoft software do you actually believe it'll work well and reliably?  

As someone who really hates their Office Software, no probably not. But it's worth a shot.

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

1 minute ago, Pascal... said:

As someone who really hates their Office Software, no probably not. But it's worth a shot.

i lost faith in them after the release of Windows 10 version 2004. the fact that i actually thought my gpu was broken because the drivers wouldn't install and it was spitting out code 43 errors says enough, because i rolled back to 1909 which i'm on now and i've had absolutely no problems. 

[lazypc]

Man I was sort of struggling seeing a use for this, but the authentication apps is perfect. And using the app to get codes for 2 factor authentication. I think there are a few extra steps to get the screen cast to start right now that still make picking up the phone about as convenient, but that is something that can totally be worked on.

Plus right now I am unable to use the app launcher shown in the article, so that may be the difference in convenience. But either that is part of the Galaxy Note 20 only crowd, or I am not on the latest version of the Your Phone app because I'm not opted into Windows Insider insider stuff.