Microsoft is preparing to launch an updated version of its Remote Desktop tool for OS X and a new version for iOS later this month, reports ZDNet. The company will also reportedly release a version of the app for Android and its new Windows RT platform, which comes as the company is pushing to make access and communication with its Windows operating system universal and throughout various platforms.

windows8_remote_desktop

Further, with Windows Server 2012 R2 Microsoft is introducing the Microsoft Remote Desktop app, available for download in application stores later this month, to provide easy access to PCs and virtual desktops on a variety of devices and platforms, including Windows, Windows RT, iOS, OS X and Android.

Additionally, Microsoft MVP Michel Roth has stated (via Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows) that the company is very serious about the upcoming applications, which reportedly will be full-featured and not include stripped functionality like that of ported clients:

"Microsoft is very serious about enabling BYOD [Bring Your Own Device] by means of desktop virtualization," Roth writes. "When you see the clients you'll notice they are pretty sweet and not as basic or as 'v1' as you might expect. The iOS Remote Desktop app supports iOS 6 and 7 and the Android Remote Desktop app is poised to support Android versions as far back as Gingerbread. The OS X Remote Desktop app provides even more functionality that you would expect from a 'desktop app'. Think about 'seamless windows' or 'applications portal'."

Notably, the Mac App Store already contains various cross-platform remote desktop clients, but none of them are official or licensed. Microsoft does however have a Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac that ships with Office 2011, but has received little recent support and is limited in nature compared to other full featured clients.

Top Rated Comments

ZeRoLiMiT Avatar
151 months ago
perfect for me! All our work computers are Windows and I use macs!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
padapada Avatar
151 months ago
jumpdesktop works fine for me.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tdgrn Avatar
151 months ago
Finally. As a Mac guy who works in a Windows world this makes me very happy.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Elbon Avatar
151 months ago

even in the corporate world, it is usually only in the small to medium size companies where there is a chance that you have an Admin working on a Mac that would need Remote desktop solution for Microsoft.

Macs, maybe. But I imagine there are a lot of people who would be interested in having remote access to their Windows desktop on an iPad.


there are a lot of alternatives out there (I have toyed with a few) and most are way better than what Microsoft has ever put out.

I've never had any problem with RDC. In fact, I have always found it to be faster and more responsive than similar solutions, including OS X's own screen sharing feature.

----------

I doubt this Microsoftware will be free.

RDC has historically been free. And it actually works well.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
balamw Avatar
151 months ago
Cool. I use the Mac RDC app all the time, an official iPad version might help me stay in Metro/modern more on my Win 8 box when used remotely.

B
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TouchMint.com Avatar
151 months ago
Huh? Microsoft has been shipping a FREE Remote Desktop Client for OS X for YEARS:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/search.aspx?q=microsoft%20remote%20desktop%20connection%20for%20mac&p=0&r=10&t=&s=Relevancy~Descending[COLOR="#808080"]


Their remote desktop stopped working for me after I upgraded to lion. It could just be my companies setup (authentication and whatnot) but either way it will still be cool to see on ios even though there are some other apps that already do so.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.5 With New Wallpaper, Screen Time Changes, Carrier Satellite Support for iPhone 13 and More

Monday May 12, 2025 10:06 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
iPhone 12 Made in India

Trump Tells Tim Cook to Stop Building iPhones in India

Thursday May 15, 2025 2:21 am PDT by
President Donald Trump has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's manufacturing expansion in India, in a potential disruption of Apple's plan to shift iPhone production away from China. "I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said during his state visit to Qatar, according to Bloomberg. "He is building all over India." "They [India] have offered us a deal where...
apple music

Apple Music Gets New Transfer Tool to Make Switching From Spotify Easier

Wednesday May 14, 2025 5:17 pm PDT by
Apple this week introduced a new feature designed to allow prospective Apple Music users to import their saved music and playlists from third-party music services to Apple Music. The feature is either in an expanded testing phase or it has started rolling out, and it is available in Australia and New Zealand according to an Apple Support document. Signs of the transfer option first surfaced...
maxresdefault

Here's the First Real-World Look at Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:52 am PDT by
The first videos of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience are now available, providing a never-before-seen look at the long-anticipated iPhone-linked infotainment software. British automaker Aston Martin today shared the first video of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience in-action, followed by a detailed walk-through of the CarPlay Ultra system on Top Gear's YouTube channel, which provides the...