Microsoft has officially released the beta version of Cortana for the Android smartphones. This is believed to be the same as the one that was leaked sometime ago.
Microsoft said in its statement,
“Microsoft Cortana is a Windows 10 PC companion and now company is conquering other devices to run Cortana so that you may have quick access on your tablet, cellphone and even gaming console, wherever you are round the globe.”
Microsoft released Cortana in April 2014 as a counter-attack to Apple’s Siri and Google Now services. It appeared on smartphones for the first time last September on Lumia 735 that was the first ever smartphone to run a preinstalled Windows Phone 8.1.
The Cortana Beta version for the Android phones is much similar to the PC. The Cortana assistant provides web surfing, flight schedules, and reservations. Users can also chat with Cortana.
It’s a powerful tool for the people who are bored of using Google search engine and are looking for something new.
Cortana Notebook is something that Google Now lacks. It enables you to control your likes and dislikes. You can also train Cortana to understand and accomplish your interests and view the related ones.
On the down side, Cortana PC version supports Hey Cortana voice feature but this service is unavailable in android version because of the compatibility features of different phones that holds Cortana from hearing the users.
Initially, Cortana beta version is available in the US markets only but the company expects to launch it worldwide. Beta version can be installed only on smartphones as tablet users still have to wait till Microsoft launches its tablet version.
Microsoft also stated that the company is working on the iOS version of Cortana and it will be made available soon but we have to wait for an official statement regarding the release date.