New Windows 10 20H1 Build Brings Your Phone Improvements

Microsoft has released a new build of Windows 10 20H1 to Insiders in the Fast ring. And this one actually has some interesting changes, all for the Your Phone app.

“We’re bringing multiple new features to the Your Phone app in this build,” Microsoft’s Dona Sarkar writes. “Try them out and let us know what you think.”

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Here’s what’s new in the Your Phone app Windows 10 Insider Preview build 18908:

New messaging features. You can now send and receive images and GIFs, including Giphy, in MMS messages. There’s a new unread message indicator. Contact thumbnails for all of your contacts will sync with Your Phone so you can more easily identify who you’re messaging with. You can quickly reply to text messages inline in notifications without having to open the app. And you can now add emojis to your text messages right from within the app.

Mobile sync over cellular. As with the shipping version of the app, you can now sync to your PC over cellular instead of just Wi-Fi.

New accessibility features. Microsoft has introduced two new accessibility features in this build, screen reading and focus tracking. Screen reading works with the Windows 10 TalkBack feature, and Focus tracking lets you follow your keyboard focus and mouse pointer input while using Android screen preview.

Keyboard language and layout. Using a new button on the screen preview window, you can change your keyboard language or layout.

New icons. Your Phone (Windows 10) and Your Phone Companion (Android) both have colorful new Fluent-inspired icons.

New phone model support. Phone screen preview now supports additional Samsung phone models, including the Galaxy A8 and Galaxy A8+.

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Conversation 12 comments

  • RickEveleigh

    Premium Member
    29 May, 2019 - 1:39 pm

    <p>A8 support — I have an A8 — excitement (sad I know).</p>

    • bart

      Premium Member
      29 May, 2019 - 1:50 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#431395">In reply to RickEveleigh:</a></em></blockquote><p>Was hoping to see the Pixel 3 getting support. Alas, we wait. </p><p><br></p><p>Have fun! </p>

      • RickEveleigh

        Premium Member
        29 May, 2019 - 3:36 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#431401">In reply to Bart:</a></em></blockquote><p>Notifications = yes</p><p>Screen preview = no — A8 not on the Microsoft article yet (and my laptop doesn't have the 'right' bluetooth — what's bluetooth got to do with it &lt;sigh&gt;)</p>

  • coeus89

    29 May, 2019 - 2:45 pm

    <p>I have been using the Dell Mobile Connect app since the beginning of the year and SendLeap before that. I have really been wanting them to flush this out as both the Dell app and SendLeap have their fair share of issues. Unfortunately, they seem to be dragging their feet on this app. :(. What i am really waiting for is the ability to pipe phone calls from my phone to my PCs like the Dell app can do. I think that would put it over the top for me.</p>

  • flying_maverick

    Premium Member
    29 May, 2019 - 2:50 pm

    <p>So is Your Phone just an Android only app? Seems like iOS is completely ignored.</p>

    • evox81

      Premium Member
      29 May, 2019 - 3:27 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#431427">In reply to flying_maverick:</a></em></blockquote><p>Of course it's being ignored. They can't replicate this functionality on iOS. The way the iPhone is locked down (for example: apps can't access text messaging) means this functionality can't be built in to an app that runs on the iPhone.</p>

  • Atoqir

    29 May, 2019 - 6:45 pm

    <p>I wonder when they will expand these features to iOS</p>

    • solomonrex

      30 May, 2019 - 6:58 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#431483">In reply to Atoqir:</a></em></blockquote><p>They can't. Apple has that functionality locked down to MacOS. Third parties can't do this, so it's Android or nothing for these features. Well, unless you like spending hundreds of dollars on fixing keyboards.</p>

  • Alex Taylor

    29 May, 2019 - 8:22 pm

    <p>Honestly the per-device support for this is insane in 2019. </p><p>Why can't they just target an API level? It's not like there's a bunch of windows features that only work on selected blessed Dell XPS machines, so why would anyone accept that this will only work with a very small number of phone models? </p>

    • dontbe evil

      30 May, 2019 - 6:37 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#431498">In reply to agt4:</a></em></blockquote><p>I think is just for testing purpose</p>

  • CompUser

    30 May, 2019 - 5:28 pm

    <p>I've been using the Your Phone app since it was made available, and thought it was pretty cool. But after installing this Windows update, I just get this:</p><p>We found some things getting in the way…</p><p>x Your PC's Bluetooth isn't compatible</p><p>x Your Android phone model isn't supported</p><p>Both are exactly the same as before the update was installed. Meanwhile, the the app on the phone says "Your phone and PC are linked". Go Microsoft!</p>

    • gibber

      30 May, 2019 - 10:47 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#431814">In reply to CompUser:</a></em></blockquote><p>Those incompatibilities only matter for the (largely useless) screen mirroring.</p>

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