Microsoft reveals Windows Phone 8.1 with Siri-like 'Cortana' personal assistant
Software behemoth Microsoft on Wednesday showed off the latest update to its Windows Phone mobile operating system, refining several areas and officially unveiling Cortana, Microsoft's answer to Apple's Siri.
Cortana is the update's tentpole feature, bringing Windows Phone users the ability to schedule meetings, send text messages, and search the web using their voice. The company says Cortana will learn from users, using heuristics in an effort to return more relevant information.
Microsoft has also provided an API for third-party applications to interface with the Bing-powered assistant, a feature still missing from Siri and Google's Google Now offering. There is no word on exactly what level of integration developers can expect, however.
Rumors that Microsoft was set to bring Cortana, named for a character from the blockbuster Halo franchise, to Windows Phone first surfaced in January. The company is believed to have plans to bring Cortana to the Xbox and Windows platforms next year.
Windows Phone 8.1 also includes a new Action Center that combines the functions of iOS's Control Center and Notification Center into a single feature. Action Center displays situational information, like battery percentage and notifications, and provides customizable shortcut buttons.
Other new features include the ability to set custom backgrounds and a "high density" option for adding more tiles to the home screen. Microsoft has also added a new keyboard input method, which the company calls "shape writing," allowing users to swipe across the keys to type, similar to third-party keyboards available for Google's Android.
Windows Phone 8.1 will begin rolling out to consumers "in the next few months."
Cortana is the update's tentpole feature, bringing Windows Phone users the ability to schedule meetings, send text messages, and search the web using their voice. The company says Cortana will learn from users, using heuristics in an effort to return more relevant information.
Microsoft has also provided an API for third-party applications to interface with the Bing-powered assistant, a feature still missing from Siri and Google's Google Now offering. There is no word on exactly what level of integration developers can expect, however.
Rumors that Microsoft was set to bring Cortana, named for a character from the blockbuster Halo franchise, to Windows Phone first surfaced in January. The company is believed to have plans to bring Cortana to the Xbox and Windows platforms next year.
Windows Phone 8.1 also includes a new Action Center that combines the functions of iOS's Control Center and Notification Center into a single feature. Action Center displays situational information, like battery percentage and notifications, and provides customizable shortcut buttons.
Other new features include the ability to set custom backgrounds and a "high density" option for adding more tiles to the home screen. Microsoft has also added a new keyboard input method, which the company calls "shape writing," allowing users to swipe across the keys to type, similar to third-party keyboards available for Google's Android.
Windows Phone 8.1 will begin rolling out to consumers "in the next few months."
Comments
What an ugly name. They must be thinking that their target customer base are all Halo fans.
This is a lot nicer than Siri. It seamlessly integrates Bing Search, Local Search, Siri, Google Now-lite, as well as allowing 3rd parties to tie into Cortana (something I am still amazed Apple hasn't added), all within the same interface.
Who the hell is Cortana? Where does that name come from? Nerdland?
And people still say Cook should be fired because he let Scott Forstall go. It's because of Forstall that Apple is playing catch up with things like Siri.
I can't imagine anyone would say that. I completely agree that Forstall was really holding Apple back.
Just seeing how much Apple was able to change between iOS 6 and iOS 7, gives me great hope that the next iOS 8 will bring Apple back to leaving its competitors far behind.
I'm not a Halo player so I only now the reference loosely but the name sounds nice to me, seems to make sense as I seem to recall in the game Cortana was a form of AI, and since MS had bought Bungie (which upset a lot of Mac users back in the day) it debuted on the Xbox where it was a breakaway success it's a nice nod. It's not an original name, but neither is Siri which I found odd that Apple kept since the tend to rebrand the tech they purchase.
PS: Be careful. Every word and image on that page could be false because it's Wikipedia.
Who the hell is Cortana? Where does that name come from? Nerdland?
Well, Halo-land, so yes.
Who the hell is Cortana? Where does that name come from? Nerdland?
Halo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortana
This is a lot nicer than Siri. It seamlessly integrates Bing Search, Local Search, Siri, Google Now-lite, as well as allowing 3rd parties to tie into Cortana (something I am still amazed Apple hasn't added), all within the same interface.
WOW, you made the assessment based on a press release, don't you think you should at least wait until you actually used it. How many times does companies like MS have slideware that people buy into only to find out it does not work as claimed which it better than anything else out there.
Remember this, engineer who make these product think they are god because they can create things, so by definition it the best thing ever.
The important part is that of today's announcements is that Windows 8.1 will receive a patch that will add back the start menu.
AI, you missed the biggest news of mobile for the last few years.
MS has made Windows Phone FREE for all devices under 9" in size. Huge shot across Google's bow.
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/MDmlZoL.jpg[/IMG]
Zzzzz . . .
MS finally moved its ass to tack on a Siri clone.
It is quick, so quick it leaves Android for dust. It's actually quite nice to use, far more than Android. It also works correctly with Exchange which is great for businesses.
I'll still go iOS over Windows Phone but Windows Phone is a great improvement over previous Windows mobile OSs
I think they'll be happy to grab a little share from Apple too by mimicking Google's successful free software distribution efforts. It's a shot across every other mobile manufacturers bow.
I think they'll be happy to grab a little share from Apple too by mimicking Google's successful free software distribution efforts. It's a shot across every other mobile manufacturers bow.
They might get some from Apple, but it's mainly against Android as they make the only other popular OS that can be used by anyone.
The HUGE difference (which will be a big selling point) is MS has an indemnification policy (something Google lacks, and MS loves to make fun of). With all the lawsuits going on this is a big advantage for Windows Phone over Android.