Earlier today, Microsoft confirmed what many people had already suspected. That the Windows 10 personal assistant, Cortana, is coming to Android AND iOS by the end of the year. More specifically, Microsoft is trying to make it easy for Windows 10 users to have Cortana by their side, even if they do not own a Windows Phone.
Of course, Cortana will be included once you upgrade your current PC to Windows 10 (for free), so there’s just one more personal assistant available for your devices, once the application gets released. Just in case you aren’t exactly aware of what Cortana is, here’s a brief summary of what she can do for you on your Windows 10 computer and soon to be on your device. Think Microsoft’s version of Siri and Google Now.
You can have Cortana remind you to pick up milk the next time you’re at the grocery store, and then your phone will wake up and buzz with the reminder. You’ll be able to track a flight using Cortana on both your phone and your PC, and get the updates on the device that you’re on so you don’t miss anything. Everything in Cortana’s Notebook will show up across all your devices and any changes you make on one device will be reflected when you use Cortana on any of your other devices. The Cortana companion app will help you complete tasks you begin on your PC wherever you are, on your phone.
With Cortana for Android expected to be released by the end of June, and its’ iOS counterpart slated for later this year, Microsoft is trying to let everyone in on the fun.
Microsoft has some other goodies slated for Windows 10 users. They are also releasing a ‘Phone Companion’ app which will be built into Windows 10. What this application will allow users to do is easily keep your files, photos and music, in sync with whatever device you are using. Yep, more cross-compatibility with Android and iOS.
Now in order for the Phone Companion application to keep everything in sync on Android or iOS, you will need to have the OneDrive and OneNote applications installed already. Then once connected to your Windows 10 computer, you will need to perform some extra steps. Microsoft has stated that the Phone Companion app will be released within the next few weeks for those who are running the Windows 10 Technical Preview. Since I have that currently running on my main machine, I can’t wait to get my hands on it and see how it all works.
Finally, Microsoft will be updating the Xbox Music app for Windows 10, Android and iOS which will bring FREE STREAMING playback of all your music from your Windows 10 computer of choice with the help of OneDrive. If you’re someone like me, and have a TB of space available in OneDrive, this can come in extremely handy.
Microsoft seems to have big plans for cross-compatibility and it’s really a nice thing to see nowadays. The real question remains to be answered, and that is, how will it work in the Real World. Let us know what you think about these changes in the comments below.
