Microsoft Windows team wants iMessage on Windows devices

Executives say Microsoft is "very willing to work with Apple" on more cross-platform functionality going forward with Windows messaging, but any possible initiative has yet to start.

In a new interview with The Verge, two of Microsoft's top decision-makers in regards to Windows ">illustrated how they wish to make their operating system more compatible with non-Windows mobile platforms, such as iOS and Android.

Joe Belfiore, the company's corporate vice president and Shilpa Ranganathan, general manager of mobile and merchandising, spoke to the site at the Build conference in Seattle. The interview followed Microsoft's introduction, this week, of the forthcoming Your Phone app, which will mirror Android and iOS interfaces on Windows PC.

"We will actually have photos on iOS and notifications as well," Ranganathan said in the interview. "Apple does make it a tad harder for messages, but we're very willing to work with Apple." However, Ranganathan admitted in the interview that Microsoft has not yet approached Apple for such a partnership.

"There's a ton we can do on Android, there's plenty we can do on Apple that we haven't done yet so let's go get to the edge and as far as we can and I think we'll be in a better place," Belfiore added.

Belfiore, during a voluntary leave of absence from the company in early 2016, was found to have tweeted from an iPhone, at a time when Windows Phone was still a going concern. Last year, Belfiore called the release of iTunes in the Windows Store a "tipping point."