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Apr 12, 2001
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Microsoft has announced that Cortana for iOS is coming to the U.K. and that the company is readying a significant design overhaul based on user feedback.

Cortana is to Windows what Siri is to macOS, but Microsoft's voice-activated virtual assistant has been available on iOS in the United States for precisely a year now, allowing PC users with Apple devices to sync their reminders, notifications and so on between the two platforms.

Cortana-800x712.jpg

Reminders that Travel with You: Cortana has your back, seamlessly keeping track of the things you need to remember across all the platforms you use her. Set a reminder on your PC and get it on your mobile phone.
Never Miss a Phone Call: In a meeting and can't answer your phone? With the Cortana app, get a missed call alert on your Windows 10 PC and let Cortana send a text back letting them know you'll call them later - all without leaving your PC.
Optimized for Mobile: Designed specifically for your mobile life with quick action buttons and voice to get what you need quickly, a streamlined design and widgets for Android and iOS.
Along with the iOS app's imminent U.K. debut, Microsoft took the opportunity to announce an upcoming overhaul for Cortana on mobile that replaces the existing design with a cleaner, simpler interface, and introduces quick actions for putting frequently used functions front and center. Checking things like calendars, news, and weather, and setting and viewing reminders will become accessible with a tap on the main screen.

As well as clearer full-page answers to queries, Microsoft says the updated Cortana app will also be significantly faster. Cortana for iOS is a free download for iPhone and iPad. Microsoft wasn't clear about when exactly Cortana will be making its way to the U.K. App Store, but the redesigned app is said to be arriving on both sides of the Atlantic "in the coming weeks".

Article Link: Redesign Coming for Cortana on iOS With App to Debut in the U.K.
 

timmyh

Contributing Editor
Mar 18, 2016
239
803
Edinburgh, UK
It still isn't showing in the UK App Store, so it's possible the UK debut will come at the same time as the update. I've reached out to Microsoft to clarify.
 
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Aquaporin

macrumors 6502a
Jun 27, 2005
513
218
USA
Cortana would be cool if you could swap out Siri. But you can't. And it doesn't integrate with Outlook for iPhone either.
 

CarpalMac

macrumors 68000
Nov 19, 2012
1,617
3,984
UK
Just recently started using Google now and Alexa and they are unbelievably good. I always thought these assistants were a 3D Tv type fad beforehand.
 

gaymerraver

macrumors member
Sep 14, 2016
96
23
Essex/London
I've been using Cortana on iOS for a little while, its good for quirks. But if the voice on the UK version isn't actually Cortana from Halo like it is on Xbox then not many will give 2.
 

macduke

macrumors G5
Jun 27, 2007
13,100
19,598
For me these sort of apps are useless until I can replace Siri with them. Apple has been opening things up more in recent years, so there's always hope that someday we'll be able to swap it out.
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,491
Cortana would be cool if you could swap out Siri. But you can't. And it doesn't integrate with Outlook for iPhone either.

Interesting. I never used Cortana, but I have heard it appears to be useful. But with Siri being proprietary, it would be cumbersome
Using both.
 

69650

Suspended
Mar 23, 2006
3,367
1,876
England
Please hurry up and release it in the UK. Siri is one of the worst products Apple has ever released and I can't wait to replace it with something that actually works.
 
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