Cortana was created to be a truly personal digital assistant – available on the go, no matter where or when you need help, and on whatever device you carry. So, naturally, Microsoft wants to integrate Cortana not only in the Windows 10 ecosystem and into smartphone like the Lumia 950, but to other platforms. From today, Cortana is available on select iPhone, Android and Cyanogen OS powered devices as a great companion experience to your Windows 10 PC.
In May, Microsoft announced that Cortana would be the first personal digital assistant to help you complete tasks across your devices, from PC to phone and vice versa regardless of your device of choice. Today the company delivered more on that promise – bringing even more ways to save you time and effort anywhere you need it. Here are Cortana’s best best features:
- Reminders that Travel with You: Set a location-based reminder on one device and have it pop up on your smartphone when you arrive at the location. This time of year means keeping track of holiday gift lists and to-dos. You can set a reminder on your PC to pick up a bottle of wine the next time you are near the grocery store and Cortana will remind you on your phone the next time you are at that location.
- Never Miss a Phone Call: In a meeting and can’t answer your phone? With the Cortana app, get a missed call alert on your Windows 10 PC and let Cortana send a text back letting them know you’ll call them later – all without leaving your PC.
- Convenient Tracking: This holiday season, you’ll be able to track flights, packages and more using Cortana on both your phone and your PC, and get the updates on the device that you’re on so you don’t miss a thing.
Of course, the Cortana app comes with the same intelligence as Cortana on your PC, with the ability to look up information and give helpful suggestions. The information stored in Cortana’s Notebook on your PC such as interests, weather and more, will travel with you across devices and any changes you make on one will be reflected on your other devices.
While the Cortana app is fully-featured, there are some things Cortana can do on Windows phones that aren’t currently possible with iOS or Android. This includes toggling settings or opening apps, and the ability to invoke Cortana hands-free by saying “Hey Cortana.” The ‘Phone Companion’ app on your Windows 10 PC will help you install the Cortana app from the Google Play or Apple App Store onto your phone so you’ll be able to take the intelligence of Cortana with you, wherever you go.
In addition, as a result of Microsoft’s close partnership with Cyanogen, a more integrated experience was created to enable Cortana’s voice activation ‘Hey Cortana’ on Cyanogen devices so you can call on her while on any screen or when you’re immersed in an app. The custom integration includes the ability to ask Cortana to toggle network modes, power down your phone, and turn on Quiet Mode amongst other features. With Quiet Mode enabled, all notifications, calls and alarms will be silenced.
Cortana will be rolled out to other Cyanogen OS powered devices early next year with even greater functionality.
The Cortana app is available today in the U.S. and China for iPhones on iOS8 and up and Android 4.1.2. And will be available in the U.S. on One Plus One powered by Cyanogen OS with the 12.1.1 over-the-air update later in Dec.
