Microsoft's digital personal assistant, Cortana, is another Android app that is developed by Microsoft and now publicly available for Google's Android operating system.
Cortana is still on beta teta testing, this app for Android can be downloaded by anyone in the U.S. with a compatible handset. Given its increasing focus on search and the role it could play in preserving and strengthening the Windows ecosystem, Cortana for Android could eventually become one of Microsoft's most significant mobile apps that can replace Google Now.
Cortana is still on beta teta testing, this app for Android can be downloaded by anyone in the U.S. with a compatible handset. Given its increasing focus on search and the role it could play in preserving and strengthening the Windows ecosystem, Cortana for Android could eventually become one of Microsoft's most significant mobile apps that can replace Google Now.
Cortana comes to everything, name it...
Just like Apple's Siri and Google Now, Cortana is also a virtual assistant that responds to voice commands. Its functionality is remarkably similar to these rival services, can able to answer questions, conduct web searches, and set reminders (among other things). Everything in it like Google Now, it also uses a system of interest cards based on relevant information (nearby venues, news, weather). Primarily, Cortana started out as Windows Phone's answer to Siri, but Microsoft is in the process of porting it to a wide variety of platforms and expanded now to the Android platform.
Just like Apple's Siri and Google Now, Cortana is also a virtual assistant that responds to voice commands. Its functionality is remarkably similar to these rival services, can able to answer questions, conduct web searches, and set reminders (among other things). Everything in it like Google Now, it also uses a system of interest cards based on relevant information (nearby venues, news, weather). Primarily, Cortana started out as Windows Phone's answer to Siri, but Microsoft is in the process of porting it to a wide variety of platforms and expanded now to the Android platform.
In addition to Android, Microsoft also plans to bring Cortana to the iPhone world, including its own Xbox One video game console. Most significantly, Cortana is a major part of Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system, like the Google mobile services in Android platform, however Cortana is built directly into the taskbar of any PC that runs Windows 10.
Unfortunately, its Android app is not nearly as capable as its Windows Phone alternative, it still works differently.
Basically, Cortana for Windows Phone can simply open other apps, for instance, and by uttering the phrase "hey, Cortana," can be accessed from anywhere in the Windows operating system. But Cortana for Android lacks these prepacked features, and given that it's not directly integrated into the operating system, it may never offer them. The same is likely to hold true when Cortana comes to the iPhone as well, it will never be the same.
Unfortunately, its Android app is not nearly as capable as its Windows Phone alternative, it still works differently.
Basically, Cortana for Windows Phone can simply open other apps, for instance, and by uttering the phrase "hey, Cortana," can be accessed from anywhere in the Windows operating system. But Cortana for Android lacks these prepacked features, and given that it's not directly integrated into the operating system, it may never offer them. The same is likely to hold true when Cortana comes to the iPhone as well, it will never be the same.
One Cortana for all your devices
However, despite these limitations, its cross-platform compatibility could make Cortana for Android (and eventually iPhone) attractive to a wide variety of users especially for Android device users.
Most Android handset and iPhone owners, assuming they own PCs and probably own PCs that's powered by Windows. Apple's Mac has made inroads in recent years, gaining share even as PC shipments decline, but Mac market share remains in the low double-digits overall compared to Android and Window users. Mac as known to be an expensive and too luxurious for most people may be one of the contributing factor for low status market share. And the Google's Chromebooks as well, have seen their popularity surge, but sales remain modest relative to the broader PC market.
Significantly, when a user downloads Cortana for their Android device, they're prompted to sign into their Microsoft account. If they happen to use the same account for their PC, Cortana will sync across their devices, and send them reminders on one device they've set on another, learning their preferences no matter which machine they happen to be using. Neither Siri nor Google Now offers anything like this so significant. Did you know that even if an iPhone user happens to own a Mac, it doesn't support Siri? Amd so with the Google Now, it will send reminder cards to Chromebooks or the Chrome browser running on a PC, but can't be accessed directly from a PC.
There are more than 75 million PC owners that have upgraded to Windows 10, and given that it's currently being offered as a free upgrade, more are likely to follow that's for sure, and if these users find Cortana to their liking, they could make an effort to install and use Cortana on their mobile devices and maybe to their rooted Android devices well.
However, despite these limitations, its cross-platform compatibility could make Cortana for Android (and eventually iPhone) attractive to a wide variety of users especially for Android device users.
Most Android handset and iPhone owners, assuming they own PCs and probably own PCs that's powered by Windows. Apple's Mac has made inroads in recent years, gaining share even as PC shipments decline, but Mac market share remains in the low double-digits overall compared to Android and Window users. Mac as known to be an expensive and too luxurious for most people may be one of the contributing factor for low status market share. And the Google's Chromebooks as well, have seen their popularity surge, but sales remain modest relative to the broader PC market.
Significantly, when a user downloads Cortana for their Android device, they're prompted to sign into their Microsoft account. If they happen to use the same account for their PC, Cortana will sync across their devices, and send them reminders on one device they've set on another, learning their preferences no matter which machine they happen to be using. Neither Siri nor Google Now offers anything like this so significant. Did you know that even if an iPhone user happens to own a Mac, it doesn't support Siri? Amd so with the Google Now, it will send reminder cards to Chromebooks or the Chrome browser running on a PC, but can't be accessed directly from a PC.
There are more than 75 million PC owners that have upgraded to Windows 10, and given that it's currently being offered as a free upgrade, more are likely to follow that's for sure, and if these users find Cortana to their liking, they could make an effort to install and use Cortana on their mobile devices and maybe to their rooted Android devices well.