Windows Phone just joined the platforms that Microsoft supports with a remote control app for accessing a PC from a handset. The company quietly introduced the free Remote Desktop Preview software in the Windows Phone store on Wednesday and ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley spotted it. Microsoft first brought a secure remote access app to competing platforms last year, so this new preview app closes the circle by giving Microsoft’s own Windows Phone users the same functionality.
On April 23, Microsoft quietly made available for download a preview of its Remote Desktop app for Windows Phone 8.1. Many Windows Phone users were none too happy that Microsoft delivered Remote Desktop apps for Android phones and iPhones last fall with no word on when it planned to introduce a Windows Phone version. In March, Microsoft updated the Remote Desktop apps for Android, iOS and Mac OS X, still with no word as to when or how it would provide remoting for Windows Phone. Remote Desktop allows users to connect to remote Windows PCs and access resources from those machines. Remote Desktop has been one of the most popular Windows Store apps among Windows 8 and Windows RT users.