Apple is not known worldwide for developing software that is open to everything. In fact, his way of limiting multirarea meant that the web version of WhatsApp took a while to work alongside the iPhone. To install applications like Kodi on their mobile devices officially, we don't even talk. What was also not available was something to synchronize an iPhone or iPad with a Linux computer, but it is already a thing of the past, since KDE Connect has reached the App Store.
Well, no, not the App Store. On iOS you can test beta software, but we have to install it through TestFlight. Today I found out about this landing, I have already been able to test it and I have it connected to my two laptops, both with Plasma as a graphical environment, where KDE Connect is pre-installed. Now, whoever thinks that it will be like using it together with macOS, forget it.
KDE Connect allows you to control Linux from iOS
What we can do today with the iOS version of KDE Connect is:
- Send the contents of the clipboard.
- Send files. Right now, we remember that it is in beta, nothing can be sent that is not in the "Files" app of iOS / iPadOS.
- Remote presentation control.
- Execute a command. Before you can do this, you have to configure them in KDE Connect on the linked computer. If we do not have any, the iPad / iPhone list is empty and, when choosing the option, the window opens on the computer to create them.
- Control the computer remotely. We will control the pointer, that is, we will turn our iPhone or iPad into a touch panel. Maybe in the future they will also add the keyboard.
- Battery status.
How to connect an iPhone or iPad with Linux
But we won't be able to do any of the above if we don't pair the devices. To do this, we will follow these steps:
- We downloaded TestFlight from the App Store.
- Then we click on this link. It is the invitation to join us in testing the software.
- We install KDE Connect.
- We make sure we have a mobile phone and a computer on the same network.
- We open KDE Connect on our iPhone or iPad.
- If our computer does not appear in the list, we click on the three dots on the top right and touch on «Refresh Discovery». Because yes, it is only in English.
- We select the name of our team by tapping on it to start the pairing.
- In the pop-up window, we tap on «Pair».
- Finally, we go to the notification that has appeared on our computer and we accept. The previous capture appears once we touch on the name of the connected device.
KDE Connect was already available for macOS for a while, but what we can already use is the version for iOS / iPadOS to connect with Linux. It is strange, but not so much if we think that KDE is behind this. If you have and want to continue with your iPhone and Linux, things are now a little simpler.