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Microsoft is going to launch its Cortana software as an app on both iOS and Android, a new report reveals.
Currently, Cortana is only available on Windows Phone devices, marking it as a direct competitor to Apple’s Siri and Google’s Google Now.
According to Reuters, the digital assistant will first come to desktop on Windows 10 in autumn, and will then roll out to rival operating systems shortly thereafter.
The company is also reportedly working on an advanced version of Cortana, based on an AI project called ‘Einstein’.
Speaking to Reuters, Eric Horvitz, MD of Microsoft Research and part of the Einstein project, said: “This kind of technology, which can read and understand email, will play a central role in the next roll out of Cortana, which we are now working on for the fall time frame.”
“We’re defining the competitive landscape…of who can provide the most supportive services that make life easier, keep track of things, that complement human memory in a way that helps us get things done.”
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It’s fairly unsurprising that Microsoft wants to roll out Cortana to rival platforms; it’s spent a lot of time refining the software ahead of the Windows 10 launch.
Moreover, Microsoft already has a number of apps on other platforms, the most notable of which are Microsoft Office and Sky Drive, so it’s not an unprecedented move.
The best part about this move is that it will force Apple and Google to continuously improve Siri and Google Now, which obviously benefits consumers.
There is currently no exact date for the cross-platform rollout of Cortana.
