Skip to main content

Dell’s Mobile Connect update will allow iPhone screen mirroring

iPhone users who have Dell PCs will soon be able to mirror their iPhone screen onto their Dell devices, thanks to an update to Dell’s Mobile Connect software.

Ahead of the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show, Dell announced on Thursday the new feature to its Mobile Connect software that will be available this spring. The update will let iPhone users drag files like photos, videos, and other data from their iPhone to the Dell PC. This feature, which debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2018, is already available for Android phones. 

Recommended Videos

You’ll have to download the iPhone app in order for the feature to work, and you have to have Windows 10 running on Dell XPS, Inspiron, Vostro, and Alienware laptops. The screen mirroring feature enables you to interact with your device’s installed apps right on the PC’s screen via a keyboard and mouse, or a touch-capable display.

The new update would allow iPhone users to have more integration into technology brands other than just the Apple ecosystem. For many with an iPhone, it’s easiest also to have an Apple laptop or computer since the iOS software can be challenging to integrate with other systems. Bloomberg said that Dell hopes this new update will attract more iPhone owners to convert to Dell PCs. 

As part of the Mobile Connect software, those with an iPhone are already able to get notifications and send texts using their Dell PC. According to Bloomberg, more than 150 million total calls and text messages have been sent with the Mobile Connect software since it debuted, and Apple devices reportedly account for about half of that number. 

Even though Apple devices can connect seamlessly to other Apple products, a screen mirroring feature is not available on Apple devices yet. 

Digital Trends reached out to Dell and to Apple to comment on the new screen mirroring feature, and we’ll update this story once we hear back. 

Dell’s move to better integrate Apple products is just one way Microsoft’s Windows software is one of the most compatible ecosystems when it comes to third-party add-ons. Just about any mouse, keyboard, webcam, storage drive, or other gadgets will work with Windows, which is something that can’t always be said for Apple’s MacOS. 

Allison Matyus
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Allison Matyus is a general news reporter at Digital Trends. She covers any and all tech news, including issues around social…
Google Gemini arrives on iPhone as a native app
the Google extensions feature on iPhone

Google announced Thursday that it has released a new native Gemini app for iOS that will give iPhone users free, direct access to the chatbot without the need for a mobile web browser.

The Gemini mobile app has been available for Android since February, when the platform transitioned from the older Bard branding. However, iOS users could only access the AI on their phones through either the mobile Google app or via a web browser. This new app provides a more streamlined means of chatting with the bot as well as a host of new (to iOS) features.

Read more
A must-try Android app has finally arrived on the iPhone
Person holding a phone with Google Gemini Live being shown.

A few days ago, Google Gemini appeared in the Apple App Store for a user in the Philippines, who was even able to download it. We took it as a sign that the new AI assistant would soon make its way to the App Store in the U.S. Well, we were right, as you can now download Gemini as a standalone app on your iPhone, after previously only being able to access it through a browser.

The Gemini app is free to download and has a surprising number of features available. More powerful functions are available for a $20-per-month subscription, but you can try Gemini Advanced out for one month for free. It grants priority access to new features and gives a "1 million token" context window.

Read more
A new iPhone may arrive sooner than you think
iPhone SE (2022) held in a mans hand.

With the release of the iPhone 16 models recently, you may think Apple is all done with new releases for a while. Perhaps not, as attention is now shifting to the upcoming year, and we may get another new iPhone sooner than you think. Apple's first new handset, expected in early 2025, will likely be the iPhone SE 4. We now have a clearer idea of when this phone might be launched.

According to Korea's Ajunews (via MacRumors), component manufacturer LG Innotek is expected to begin mass production of a camera module that will potentially be used in the iPhone SE4 as early as next month. The company will supply the front camera module for the budget-friendly phone. The report also stated camera production often starts about three months before the final phone arrives on the market. A spring 2025 release for the iPhone SE 4 has long been rumored, and the report seems to back this up.

Read more