Windows 11 users who hook up their Samsung phone with their PC using the Phone Link app are in for a pleasant surprise thanks to the newest version of Samsung’s interface for its Android devices.
Windows Latest noticed that with the update to Samsung’s One UI 6.1.1 which is now rolling out to last-gen phones, including Galaxy S23 models and last year’s foldables, Phone Link now works more seamlessly with its mirroring feature.
For the uninitiated, the Phone Link app enables users to connect an Android phone to a Windows 11 (or 10) PC, with the experience being especially smooth for Samsung Galaxy devices, as Phone Link benefits from deeper integration and more features with Samsung handsets.
Windows Latest observed that after updating a Samsung Galaxy S23 to the latest One UI version, the device no longer asked for permission to start screen mirroring. When clicking to start screen mirroring in the Phone Link app, it automatically began without the S23 popping up a request to mirror the screen.
While this sounds like a pretty minor change, remember that previously, every time you start screen mirroring via Phone Link, the Samsung phone requests permission. So doing away with that is definitely a nice convenience, making firing up the screen mirroring feature a one-click experience.
Driving forward with Phone Link
Microsoft continues to improve Phone Link on a regular basis, and another interesting change we saw earlier this year (in testing) is Microsoft integrating AI into the app. The AI functionality provides suggested responses to messages in the Phone Link app, and in much the same vein as the automated responses in Gmail, you get a few possible replies to pick from.
Furthermore, we’ve heard whispers a few months back that Phone Link could be made into a Start menu ‘Companion,’ meaning it’ll be present in a floating panel docked off either side of the menu. The whole Companion interface change is still very much in testing, and there’s just a small clue that Phone Link will be part of this puzzle – if it ever comes to fruition. Still, that would put Phone Link right at the heart of the Windows 11 interface (should you want it there).
It’s clearly a pretty big deal for Microsoft, probably more so since Apple now has iPhone Mirroring in macOS Sequoia.