When Windows 8.1 Update 2 came out for phones it seemed a bit odd that you could connect a Bluetooth mouse to your mobile device. You couldn’t control your phone with it but they would connect. With Bluetooth keyboards being supported in that update, it almost seemed as if Bluetooth mice accidentally came for the ride. With the subsequent announcement of Continuum for phones that will allow you to use your phone like a tiny PC by projecting it to a monitor, it appears that mouse support is a feature, not a bug.
Now, in a preview build of of Windows 10 Mobile you can get a mouse to appear on your screen. It’s not usable at the moment but when asked about it on Twitter, Gabe Aul didn’t say that mice will be gone in the future, he clarified that they need to be supported and that it’s a result of parts of Continuum code being in the latest build of Windows 10.
@ashish_oficial This is a bug caused by some of the Continuum for Phones code going in. Mouse needs to be supported for that scenario
— Gabriel Aul (@GabeAul) May 15, 2015
At one point, mouse support seemed like an odd idea for keyboards but Microsoft is pushing the idea that people can take Windows with them anywhere. If users are going to fully utilize the ability to project a phone onto a monitor they’ll need to be able to use a mouse and keyboard. These developments also seem to tie in with Microsoft making more and more Bluetooth keyboards and mice.
Another take away from this is that Continuum code is making its way into builds. That’s good news for one of the most hyped features of the new mobile OS.
Further reading: Bluetooth, Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile
