Microsoft’s Your Phone App Reaches Top Trending Spot on Google Play Store

Microsoft's Your Phone app garnered some attention on its announcement, but it's proving more popular than many imagined. With the rollout of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, Android users have been flocking to the app en-masse. So much so, that the app hit the #1 trending spot on the Google Play store for a time. Users appear to be drawn by the app, which lets users sync photos and send messages from their phone on PC. Your Phone currently has over 5 million downloads, with support for notifications also in the works. Part of the jump is likely due to Microsoft's Surface event, where it promoted the app via a dedicated advertisement.

Unfortunately, though, not everyone is happy, with a number of 1-star ratings knocking the score down to a respectable 4.3 stars. Users complaints include the feature simply not working, despite their PC telling them otherwise. Others have found that they're only told their phone isn't compatible after installing their app and trying to link. In such cases, users are encouraged to look at the support documentation. There are particular issues with Huawei phones, which are unable to show text messages properly.

Filling the Android Gap

Despite some issues here and there, the feature is shaping up to be supremely useful. The hassle-free photo syncing makes it incredibly easy to edit photos from a phone or share them with others via a PC app. Importantly, it's something that nobody would have expected from Microsoft a few years ago. After the death of its Windows 10 mobile OS, the company has been embracing Android to great success. The Microsoft Launcher is a standout, bringing many of the company's apps together and letting users continue working on files on their PC. When combining both apps and SwiftKey, users can have a near-interconnected experience for the first time.