Cortana For Android App Leaks Ahead Of Windows 10 Launch

An Android version of Cortana was accidentally released over the weekend, according to reports, with a preview build of the voice-activated personal assistant expected to be made available later this month to coincide with the launch of Windows 10 on July 29.

Those who have seen the application say it bears a striking resemblance Cortana on Windows Phone and Windows 10, however some features, such as saying ‘Hey Cortana’ into the microphone to activate the assistant have not made the transition.

Android Cortana

Microsoft has invited Android users to sign up for a beta programme to test an early version of the app, but this is initially limited to the US and China.

Cortana was initially intended as Windows Phone’s equivalent of Siri or Google Now, but Microsoft is looking to execute the same cross-platform strategy it has applied to other services like Office 365, OneNote and OneDrive in a bid to expand the reach of its services.

All searches conducted through Cortana use Bing and An iOS application is set to appear later this year.

Windows 10 will be made available as a free upgrade to Windows 7 and 8 users next week and is intended to work the same on mobile devices as on PC. Windows Phone 8 was released in 2012 and the company purchased Nokia’s devices and services business the year after, however recent events have suggested Microsoft’s interests lie in services rather than hardware.

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