What you need to know
- Intel announced its Unison app to connect Android and iPhones to PCs in Fall 2022.
- The app would be released in limited availability for select Intel Evo PCs.
- Intel Unison was quietly released at the end of November and is now available.
- Despite Intel claiming that Unison is available “on eligible Intel Evo designs”, I could install it on any PC, including Qualcomm ARM based PCs.
In early September, Intel announced its new “Unison” app, based on the technology it acquired from Israeli startup Screenovate (read my in-depth dive and interviews about it). The software is similar to Microsoft’s Phone Link (also known as Your Phone) in that it allows you to connect your smartphone to your Windows PC to receive notifications, text messages, phone calls, and more.
However, the big difference with Intel Unison is that it also works on Apple’s iOS – something Phone Link does not do. Indeed, all the same functions work as on Android, including photos, transferring files, sending and receiving messages, and notifications.
Intel noted at the time that Unison would launch first on select Intel 12th Gen Evo systems from Acer, HP, and Lenovo “this holiday season,” but we haven’t heard from Intel or any other PC maker since its release.
As it turns out, it’s already there and can be found in the Microsoft Store.
Judging by reviews, the app should have been released around November 22, although I don’t know exactly when it was released. Users also need to install the corresponding apps from the Google Play and Apple App Store, linking through a simple QR code and permissions.
Perhaps more interestingly, the app works on every Windows 11 PC I’ve tried, despite Intel’s claim that it only works “on eligible Intel Evo designs.”
For example, I successfully installed Intel Unison on Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Studio, with an 11th Gen Intel processor, alongside Lenovo’s ThinkPad X13s with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 ARM processor. Of course, both should be ruled out, but they worked perfectly in conjunction with iOS or Android.
Unsurprisingly, Intel Unison also worked on HP’s latest Dragonfly laptops (Elite Dragonfly G3 and Dragonfly Folio G3), based on Intel 12th Gen Evo designs, and my Core i9 13th Gen desktop PC, which is not part of the Intel Evo program.
In terms of performance, Unison is comparable to Microsoft’s Phone Link, but handles connections better (it is expected to support Wi-Fi Direct rather than being on the same network). And while the current iteration doesn’t support app mirroring, that feature will likely come later as Intel builds out the app experience for Unison.
Being able to receive notifications, browse your photos, send files, and receive text messages on an iPhone is the real treat here, though. In my short time playing with Unison on the iPhone 13 Mini, I didn’t notice any difference between the experience and Android. The only change is that you have to take an extra step during setup to enable Bluetooth pairing.
The downside I noticed compared to Microsoft Phone Link is that you can only link one PC and one smartphone at a time. I expect Intel will address this in future versions of Unison, but for now that’s a limitation for some with multiple phones or Windows laptops.
Of course, when Dell had its Mobile Connect app (based on Screenovate before Intel bought the company), users could also install it on any Windows PC for a short time. Dell eventually caught on and limited the ability to install through the Microsoft Store. I wouldn’t be surprised if Intel did the same, though the company stated that Unison would be open with few restrictions.
Where the Intel Evo advantage for Unison comes into play is likely optimizations around Intel’s Wi-Fi 6x platform and mobile processors, where it will have better control over the entire connectivity stack.
Anyway, if you’ve ever wanted to connect your iPhone to your Windows PC, now might be the time to set it up, especially if you’re on older hardware.
Pre-caution: I haven’t tested it on all variants of Windows PCs, so your mileage may vary.
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With Intel Unison, you can connect your Android or iOS smartphone to your Windows 11 PC to receive notifications and messages, transfer photos and files, make calls, and more.