Microsoft has made its Cortana voice-activated personal assistant available as a public beta for Android.
The service is available to download now from Google’s Play Store, where users can download a beta version of Cortana in order to try it out before a full-scale release later this year. However, it will only be available to Android users in the US for the time being.
The company says it has made a few adjustments to Cortana following the launch of an earlier closed beta test, including the ability to set Cortana as the destination for the home button press, meaning access to the service “is just a button-press away”.
However, the ability to toggle settings, open apps or open Cortana hands-free by saying “Hey Cortana” remain only available on Windows devices for now, although Microsoft says they may make an appearance in the future if user feedback demands it.
Microsoft first announced that Cortana would be coming to Android and iOS devices back in May, as part of its bid to get its software on as many mobile devices as possible alongside the launch of Windows 10 last month.
The service was then accidentally leaked in July, revealing a version bears a striking resemblance to Cortana on Windows Phone and Windows 10.
Take our Microsoft quiz here!
Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson blamed “challenging mobile networks market” and “further volume contraction” for job…
Dramatic downfall. Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for masterminding $8bn fraud that…
Fallout avoidance? Tesla buyers in the US must be shown how to use the FSD…
Amazon completes its $4bn investment into AI firm Anthropic, after providing an additional $2.75bn in…
While AI promises unparalleled efficiency, productivity, and innovation, questions regarding its environmental impact loom large.…
Shares in Donald Trump’s social media company rose about 16 percent after first day of…