Roger Fingas
Microsoft on Friday released a promised overhaul of its Cortana iPhone app, simplifying the way the AI assistant works on iOS and making it more practical as an alternative — or complement — to Apple's native Siri.
The refreshed app loads faster, and defaults into listening for voice commands and questions. The homescreen can also display Google Now-style information cards on items like news, weather, traffic, package deliveries, and nearby restaurants.
From most places in the app, tapping an icon in the lower-left will bring up "quick action" buttons for info and commands without speaking. In addition to news and weather, users can set and view alarms and reminders, check and organize meetings, and get help with the app.
Microsoft has in fact redesigned how reminders work, along with the app's calling and texting functions. When asking search questions, the app will now provide full-page answers.
Cortana is likely of less use to most iPhone owners than Siri, since Apple restrictions mean it Cortana can't be triggered outside of the app, and it doesn't hook into many native iOS services. It can however be handy for people who also use a computer with Windows 10, which has Cortana integrated.
Microsoft first promised today's update in December, saying it would rollout to iPhone owners in coming weeks.
A recent report noted that Cortana is second to Siri in language support, offering 8 languages in 13 countries versus Siri's 21 in 36. Apple is believed to be preparing enhancements to Siri in time for this year's iPhones, but it's not clear what those might be.
Charles Martin
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
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Andrew Orr
18 Comments
Until you can go in to settings change the default from Siri to Cortana, which will absolutely never happen, there really is no "bid" to take on anything. A voice assistant that lives in a particular app might as well be non-existent.
Too late :(
Maybe they can add it to Siri API for added functionality?
added functionality like Will.i.am's AneedA is the future.
I wonder how many people actually use any assistant on any device, Siri, Cortana, or Google's?
Cortana does not even rank in the Top 100 free apps in the iOS Productivity category. It has gotten a total of 1k user reviews since it's launch Dec, 2015. Bottom line: it has almost zero distribution on iOS. It is DOA
Where does Microsoft think it is going to get volume usage? On PCs and XBox? On Android? I don't think so
Another example of why it sports a PE ratio 2X Apple. /s
It just seems to me that all of these companies are pushing these virtual assistants and I don't know how many people really care in the end.