Microsoft is considering bringing Cortana voice assistant to Android and other platforms
While Google Now is great for bringing you the information you need before you need it, for some, there’s still a need (or want) to interact with a voice controlled “personal assistant.” This is partly the reason Siri has grown into a sassy pop icon she is today, and why Microsoft introduced their own in-house personal assistant dubbed Cortana.
Only available via a developer preview for Windows Phone 8.1, Microsoft is preparing the service for a worldwide debut later this year. As a major selling point to help get more consumers on board with Windows Phone, you’d think Microsoft would be hoarding Cortana all to itself. But in an interview with Search Engine Land, it appears Microsoft is actually open to the idea of bringing Cortana to rival platforms like Android and iOS. In an interview with Search Engine Land, Windows Phone Group Program Manager Marcus Ash mentioned,
“We want to scale Cortana internationally and across devices. The Android/iOS question is interesting. We’re asking, would Cortana be as effective if she didn’t have access to the details on your phone? We’re still trying to get Cortana adopted on Windows Phone and figure out what it wants to become there. But we’re actively talking about this.”
Ash also hinted at the possibility of Cortana arriving on desktops and vehicles, but because Cortana is still finding her identity on Windows Phone, it’s unlikely we’ll see her making a trip on over to the Google Play Store any time soon. With rival services being offered by Google and Siri, we have to admit it’d be nice to see a little competition in the personal assistant space. After all, options are good.