What you need to know
- Streaming apps from your Samsung smartphone to your PC just got much easier.
- Samsung phones running One UI 6.1.1 no longer require you to press a button every single time you want to stream and app to your PC through Phone Link.
- Starting with Android 14, Phone Link required a button press every time you wanted to stream an app due to a change made to improve the operating system’s security.
- It appears Phone Link / Link to Windows now uses a different method to stream apps, which gives you the option to always allow app streaming.
As a seasoned tech analyst with years of experience under my belt, I must say that this latest update from Samsung and Microsoft is a breath of fresh air for users who frequently stream apps from their smartphones to their PCs. The change in how Phone Link and Link to Windows work not only simplifies the process but also enhances the user experience by eliminating the need for constant confirmation prompts.
Streaming apps from a phone to a PC using Microsoft’s Phone Link and Link to Windows becomes more seamless with a recent update. Devices running One UI 6.1.1 now provide an option for continuous screen mirroring, eliminating the repeated prompt to click “Start now” each time you wish to stream an app. This enhancement was highlighted by Android Authority, who also delved into the technical reasoning behind this shift in behavior.
Beginning with Android version 14, users needed to click “Start now” every time they wanted to stream an app from a Samsung phone to a Windows PC. This change was due to an update in the Android operating system that enhanced security features. Although device security is crucial, this modification did introduce some unnecessary repetition when streaming apps. With the release of One UI 6.1.1, users can now choose “Always allow” for Link to Windows mirroring on their PC.
To stream apps from your Android device to your computer, you’ll need to keep your device turned on and unlocked, unless you’ve activated the Extend Unlock feature. This feature detects when you’re holding your device, at home or in a trusted location, or if a trusted device like a smartwatch is nearby. The necessity of an unlocked phone (or the use of Extend Unlock) is a safety precaution designed to safeguard your login details and personal information.
Why the change?
As a tech enthusiast, I’ve noticed an interesting change in the way Android 14 handles its startup process compared to older versions. Instead of just selecting “Start now” once, you now have to go through a few more steps before your device is fully operational. The reason behind this change, as Android Authority explains, is that Android 14 has closed a loophole that allowed apps like Link to Windows to bypass the need for repeated permission requests. This enhancement aims to improve user privacy and security.
Previously, Windows employed the MediaProjection API, designed primarily for screen-recording or sharing content to external devices. However, Google identified a workaround that enabled certain apps to misuse user prompts by reusing them repeatedly. To address this issue, Google patched the loophole in Android version 14.
It seems Microsoft has switched to utilizing Android’s Companion App Streaming API, a feature also found in the Chrome OS Phone Hub. According to Android Authority, this change in API was identified, and it’s now possible for users of Link to Windows to select between “Always allow,” “Only this time,” or “Don’t allow” when it comes to app mirroring functionality.
As a researcher, I’m currently observing that the latest update, One UI 6.1.1, is exclusively accessible for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 at this point. This means that users with other Samsung smartphones are required to repeatedly tap “Start now” whenever they wish to stream an app. However, I anticipate that One UI 6.1.1 will be rolled out to some older Galaxy devices in the near future, such as the S22, S23, S24, and even earlier Fold models.
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2024-08-14 18:46