Intel is discontinuing an app youve never heard of but sadly, that alternative to Windows 11s Phone Link was a useful tool you might regret
never using

Date:
Thu, 03 Apr 2025 11:36:02 +0000

Description:
Intel has canned its app that worked like Windows 11s Phone Link and thats a shame, as some folks (particularly iPhone users) preferred the Unison app.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Intel has announced its Unison app will be discontinued at the end of June This was an alternative to Windows 11s Phone Link functionality It was better in some ways notably for iOS users, and with the app being more streamlined so its sad to see a viable alternative go

Intels take on tying your phone in with your Windows 11 PC the Unison app
is being shuttered, with Team Blue announcing that itll be discontinued for most users at the end of June 2025.

Windows Latest reports that Intel made the announcement in the Microsoft Store listing for app, stating that : Intel Unison will soon be discontinued. The first step in its wind-down process is ending service for most platforms at the end of June 2025. Lenovo Aura platforms will retain service through 2025.

If youre scratching your head and thinking "Ive never heard of Intel Unison" well, you wouldnt be alone there. In a nutshell, its Intels version of
Windows 11s built-in functionality known as the Phone Link app.

Both Phone Link and Unison offer the ability to access iOS or Android smartphone functionality on the desktop of your Windows 11 PC. In the case of Intel Unison, the core abilities are covered, such as replying to texts, seeing notifications, making calls, and file transfer operations if you want to shift, say, a photo from your phone to the PC for image editing purposes.

As Windows Latest notes, the key strength of Intel Unison is a better implementation on the iOS side (indeed, it supported Apple smartphones from the off, when Microsofts take on this formula didnt for some time). Its also
a more streamlined app, and well enough liked by those who use it the review ratings for Unison on the Microsoft Store are currently higher than for Microsofts own solution.

At any rate, if you use Unison, youll have to ditch the app soon, so you
might be looking at Phone Link in a couple of months time.

Windows Latest has spoken to sources and claims that while officially June 30 is the day on which Unison will be discontinued, it may continue to work okay on some devices for a little time afterwards or at least some parts of the app might. Before long, though, its going to be fully turned off, so you
might as well start getting used to that idea now. (Image credit: Intel) Analysis: Disunification in progress

Intel Unison will have lasted two years (almost) when the app gets canned (Team Blue launched it back in August 2023). Itll be a shame for some folks
to see it go, as there are reports that it works more smoothly than Phone
Link not just for iPhones, but for Android devices too going by some of the online feedback for the app, anyway. (I havent used it myself).

If this is the first time youre hearing about Intel Unison, then obviously, its a bit late to be learning about the app now. Although its not something
Id heard of previously, either, and Unison somehow flew under my radar and
Im guessing thats part of the problem, and reason why its been dropped. The other likely reason here is that as Windows Latest hints, its probably part
of Intels cost-cutting measures, with Team Blue having to streamline its business considerably, as we saw with all the very unfortunate layoffs (and more) last year .

Compared to Intel Unison, the advantage of Phone Link is that it does offer more advanced functionality particularly for Samsung smartphones, of course, but for all phones more broadly. And that includes the most recent step of integrating Phone Link directly in the Start menu , putting it front and center in the Windows 11 interface.

In short, Phone Link isnt going anywhere, and Microsoft is surely going to bolster it going forwards so its not likely that Unison would have kept up with this pace anyway. Still, for those who wanted a simple alternative, and
a streamlined app that covered the basics and by all accounts, covered them with some aplomb Intels app fitted the bill, but obviously that wont be the case for much longer. You may also like... Here's why you should reinstall Windows 11 every two months - no, I'm not kidding Windows 11s latest patch declares war on BIOS updates for some Lenovo laptops, blocking them as a security risk in a bizarre turn of events Windows 11 fully streamlined in
just two clicks? Talon utility promises to rip all the bloatware out of Microsofts OS in a hassle-free way



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/intel-is-discontinuing-an-app-youv e-never-heard-of-but-sadly-that-alternative-to-windows-11s-phone-link-was-a-us eful-tool-you-might-regret-never-using


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