Microsoft retires Cortana app for smartphones

[david walker]

Early next year, Microsoft is pulling the plug on the Cortana app for smartphones, including Android and iOS for US users.

Microsoft announced officially that the Cortana app will be putting out to pasture for iOS and Android with the end of mobile apps support, effective immediately.

Cortana users' created lists and reminders will no longer be available through the mobile app; however, they still can be used on the Windows 10 Cortana app, said Microsoft via its support page.

Users used the app, which is synced on Windows 10's Cortana so one can set reminders, keep tabs on their day and look up information; however, Cortana hadn't been standing her own against Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in 2019 said that the company's ambitions would downsize for Cortana and optimize the assistant as a helper for Office 365 rather than a competitor for Siri or Alexa. In the previous year, Microsoft eliminated Cortana from Skype, Windows 10 Search, and Xbox One.

In several countries around the world, including the UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, China, Mexico, India, and Spain, the company ended support for the app in January.
In addition to ending the service, the tech giant is also eliminating the consumer Cortana service for two products next year: the Surface Headphones and Harman Kardon Invoke speaker.
The company has said that reminders, lists, and other content made by way of Android or iOS app will still be accessible via Cortana on Windows, and it added that free Microsoft To Do mobile app automatically synced Cortana lists, reminders, and tasks.

Microsoft says that if users wish to replace Cortana on mobile, customers will still be able to use the voice assistant in the Microsoft Teams app and over the Outlook app. Cortana will additionally stay available on Windows 10.

AUTHOR BIO : David is a software developer. He has expertise in making people aware of the new software technologies. He writes for Microsoft365.com/setup