A Linux developer released Tether, a set of tools that allows iMessage, SMS, file transfer, clipboard sync, and OTP autofill between an iPhone and Linux desktops. The project was created after the author found that native macOS continuity features were missing on a full‑time Linux system.

The developer initially built clipboard synchronization, which later expanded to include file transfer and OTP handling. Security was emphasized from the start, with mTLS used for all communications and both ends required to authorize connections. The networking layer was later extended to support Bluetooth, using the ancs4linux and BlueFerry protocols to enable direct iMessage and SMS transmission. Implementation faced typical Bluetooth challenges, including intermittent connections and edge‑case handling.

Tether also includes a browser extension that monitors incoming mail for OTP codes and automatically fills them in web forms, and a mail extension that triggers the same process. Support for additional mail clients is planned but not yet available.

The software is distributed under an MIT license, while some underlying protocols remain under GPL licenses. The author invites bug reports, feature requests, translations, and documentation contributions from the community.