CES 2022: Intel Demos iMessage and Apple Watch Integration on Next-Generation Evo PCs

BY Chandraveer Mathur

Published 5 Jan 2022

At CES 2022, Intel has shown off an exclusive range of Evo-branded PCs that boast seamless integration with the iPhone and Apple Watch. You could comfortably use iMessage or interact with health data from your wearable on the new computers. The feature will become commercially available on some Evo computers by the end of the year.

Intel showed iMessage running on a Windows PC in an on-stage demonstration—something Apple doesn’t support. The seemingly easy-to-use demo app also allows interacting with your health data from the Apple Watch on a Windows PC. In the demonstration, Intel showed heart rate, blood oxygen, and ECG data on the Evo PC as though it was pulled from a native app.

You can check out Intel’s demonstration in the video below:

Given that Apple and other OEMs are looking at alternatives to Intel for PC processors, the company’s unique features like the integration with iPhone and Apple Watch could improve business. The technology demonstrated on stage was based on an implementation developed by Screenovate, a recent Intel acquisition. The chipmaker plans to use Screenovate’s device control system on its Evo PCs so users can wirelessly send files from their PC to iPhone, send and receive text messages, and participate in iMessage chats.

Another innovative feature showcased was using an Android tablet as a secondary display for the Windows PC, like Apple’s Sidecar. However, it remains unclear if one would be able to use iPads in a similar fashion.

According to Intel’s VP of Mobile Innovation Josh Newman, the iPhone and Apple Watch integration will be exclusive to Intel Evo PCs initially after launch late in 2022. Still, they could extend to other Intel-based computers after the 2022 holiday season.

Considering that Apple doesn’t officially support iMessage on Windows and that iPhone-Windows integration is almost non-existent, if Intel brings iMessage to Windows, we believe it would help scores of iPhone users.

Do you believe Intel or Windows users would be further inclined to get an Evo PC because of iPhone and Apple Watch integration? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!