Say what you want about Microsoft’s mobile efforts, but you can’t blame the company for not being committed to smartphones. The only problem here is that Microsoft is committed to a mobile platform that it doesn’t own, leaving its own Windows phones well behind competition.
Today, the software giant has released another important update for iPhone users that provides them with quicker access to files stored in the cloud.
The latest version of OneDrive for iOS, which has reached 8.11.5, comes with support for Apple’s iMessage, the messaging solution that’s exclusively available for users in Cupertino’s ecosystem.
With this update, OneDrive becomes available for iMessage users straight in the ongoing conversation, making it possible to connect to their Microsoft cloud accounts, select files, and share them on the go. It all takes just a few seconds and sharing files and folders stored in OneDrive doesn’t require anything else than a few taps within iMessage.
Apple’s iMessage
Apple is betting big on iMessage, as the latest version of iOS brought some big updates for the app which expand its messaging capabilities with new emoji and support for add-ons, such as GIF apps that make it possible to include animated pics in conversations.
iMessage, however, remains an iOS-exclusive solution, and even though there were rumors that Apple wanted to bring it on Android, it’s hard to believe that such a thing would happen.
Microsoft has apparently noticed the iMessage opportunity, so the company is trying to make its solutions available at one-tap distance right in the messaging app. Most likely, OneDrive is just the beginning, with other apps likely to get iMessage integration in the coming weeks and months.
For what it’s worth, OneDrive requires iOS 9 or later and can be installed on iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch, obviously without paying a single cent. The app does come with in-app purchases and makes it possible to get subscriptions for other Microsoft products, including Office 365.
