Microsoft has rolled out its major update the Cortana app beta for Android version for activating the smart digital assistant, which is referred "Hey Cortana." Android phones users who have the beta app installed will now get to upgrade Version 1.0.0.289.
The latest upgraded Hey Cortana
lets the users to make the assistant do things like search for something or create a note, besides the bug fixes, performance tweaks and the ability to allow users to call on Cortana using the noted hotword.
lets the users to make the assistant do things like search for something or create a note, besides the bug fixes, performance tweaks and the ability to allow users to call on Cortana using the noted hotword.
To activate the Hey Cortana feature, users can go to the Settings option in the Cortana app and mark checkbox "Hey Cortana." Users can call up the voice assistant by speaking Hey Cortana, once it is active, you can ask the app to schedule appointments, set an alarm, check sports scores, ask about the weather and even more updates.
It is similar to the Google's "OK Google" enabling feature, but it which may suggest that Cortana may even take down the Google's turf including the new major extended feature although it may not happen soon, since Cortana for Android version comes with certain limitations in terms of the reach and Google having the access to wider Android system reach.
Hey Cortana is released with limitations and can be operated only if the users initially unlock the phone or if the Cortana for Android is open already. So, users have to go through some steps of swipes and taps before they can get to experience the voice activation by activating Microsoft's digital assistant.
Since the Cortana and Google's OK Google hotword requires device-specific drivers, there aren’t many phones to support them, and the Android users need to unlock their phone screens to activate Google Now via voice or Hey Cortana.
Cortana however promises to be a contender in the smart digital assistants, and Microsoft is determined to upgrade the feature across all platforms rather than restricting the it’s best features to Windows 10 Mobile and its Lumia phones. It is expected to bring the Cortana to iOS soon.
