Smartphone to PC: An Android Exclusive?

Last year, Samsung presented a feature that seems to confirm the idea that soon, the smartphone will be the only computer we'll need. Called the DeX (Desktop eXperience), the device - a docking station with a built-in charger and tons of sockets ranging from Ethernet to HDMI - was meant to transform a Samsung Galaxy S8/Note 8 smartphone into a fully fledged desktop PC, perfect to be used for work, play, and media. This after Samsung, along with many other smartphone manufacturers, contributed to the creation of the MHL standard, a simple way to mirror a phone's screen on a TV, for example.

At the same time, others have also embraced the idea of transforming a smartphone into a desktop-like PC. Many others, actually - but not Apple. To play at iPhone casinos, you still need an iOS-powered device. And Apple seems not to be very fond of the idea of turning its handset into a two-in-one.

It's not just Samsung that wants to see the smartphone transform into a much bigger (figuratively, of course) and a much more versatile device. Chinese smartphone maker Huawei has built "PC Mode" right into its Mate 10 Pro flagship. When connected to a big screen, it can seamlessly switch to "PC Mode", and offer a completely different experience - especially when used with a Bluetooth keyboard and a mouse. Plus, third parties are also building their products to do something similar: Miraxess' Mirabook and Sentio's Superbook are two examples of how smartphones can turn into fully-fledged laptops that offer a better work experience when away from home. And Razer's "Project Linda", presented at CES 2018, will do the same for gaming.

Apple seems reluctant to pursue innovation in this area because it likely fears that it would hurt its sales of other devices. Although the iPhone is its biggest device, it's not the only one: it also builds iPad tablets, MacBooks, and iMacs that it wants to sell. This is all part of a well-established Apple ecosystem that covers every aspect of your office or your home, from wireless routers to desktop computers, servers, and entertainment devices. An iPhone transforming into a desktop computer seems to be too much of a disruption for the well-established way things are.

This doesn't mean that you can't connect your iPhone to a big screen. You can buy a Lightning to Digital AV adapter and connect your phone to your TV directly or use an Apple TV device to stream videos from your phone to your TV via AirPlay. But this is still far away from the full desktop experience Samsung, Huawei, and the above-mentioned startups have to offer.