What you need to know
- Dell Mobile Connect and Alienware Mobile Connect are being discontinued.
- The apps will stop being available for download in the United States, Canada, and Japan on November 30, 2022 and will be discontinued on January 31, 2023.
- They will also be discontinued in other countries but slightly earlier.
Dell Mobile Connect and Alienware Mobile Connect will soon be discontinued. The applications allow people to send text messages and phone calls through their PCs but are on the way out. A support document outlines the exact dates for when the apps will become unavailable and when they will be discontinued.
If you're in the United States, Canada, or Japan, Dell Mobile Connect and Alienware Mobile Connect will stop being available for download on November 30, 2022. They'll then be discontinued on January 31, 2022. Users in other countries have a bit less time with the apps, as it will become unavailable to download on July 31, 2022 and discontinued on November 30, 2022.
Dell has moved away from its mobile connect apps recently. The Dell XPS 13 Plus doesn't even ship with Dell Mobile Connect pre-installed.
Makes sense since it's not preinstalled on the new XPS 13 Plus.July 25, 2022
Luckily for those that want to send text messages and make calls from their PCs, there are alternatives to Dell's applications. Microsoft's Phone Link is a free application that supports calls, text messages, and mirroring apps, though some features require specific phones. Our senior editor Jez Corden called Phone Link the "best new Windows feature of the past decade."
The biggest drawback is that Dell Mobile Connect works with iOS or Android phones, while Microsoft's Phone Link only supports Android devices. Additionally, Dell Mobile Connect generally has better performance than Phone Link. This is due to the fact that Dell Mobile Connect utilizes special drivers.
While Dell Mobile Connect is being discontinued, similar functionality is on the way from Intel. Dell Mobile Connect is powered by Screenovate, which Intel purchased in late 2021. At CES 2022, Intel showcased Screenovate connecting phones, PCs, smart TVs, and other devices.
Speaking of Screenovate, Intel executive vice president Greg Bryant said, "this is really going to be a game-changing experience, and I love to see that the PC remains at the center of it all, enabling all of those devices to work seamlessly together." Screenovate should be available on Intel Evo devices by the end of 2022.
