Amazon & Microsoft reveal plans to allow cross-access for Alexa and Cortana

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in General Discussion
In an industry first, Amazon and Microsoft have announced that people will soon be able to access Alexa from Cortana, and vice versa, including through iOS.




Starting "later this year," people will be able to access Alexa via Cortana on Windows 10 PCs, Microsoft said on Wednesday. Cortana, meanwhile, will be accessible from Alexa devices like Amazon's Echo speakers. People will have to ask the primary assistant to "open" the other one.

Android and iOS support will follow sometime after the Windows 10 deployment. That will likely include the Cortana iOS app, but not the Alexa app, which is strictly a companion for other devices.

Neither voice assistant will be accessible outside apps on iOS, since Apple has so far restricted that functionality to Siri. It's also unlikely that Apple will enable support for other assistants through Siri, since that would break with the company's typical "walled garden" approach to its ecosystem.

Both Amazon and Microsoft have been eager to get their AI on third-party devices, presumably to draw people back into their own products and services. Indeed Google today announced that several third-party speakers will be getting Google Assistant, namely the Anker Zolo Mojo, Mobvoi TicHome Mini, and Panasonic GA10.

Apple will expand the number of Siri-compatible devices later this year with the HomePod, shipping in December for $349.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    So I guess for Google and Microsoft the old proverb 'The enemy of my enemy ...' holds true.  They must really be hurting from Apple's success.  I have zero doubt 'the walled garden' will remain impenetrable and rightfully so.

    Ironically I write this at the same time I am talking to Cortana and saying 'no' and 'no' and 'no' and 'no' during an installation of Windows 10 Creator  lol.
    edited August 2017 RacerhomieXjbdragonroundaboutnowwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 15
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,663member
    This makes perfect sense from a consumer perspective. I said a while back that convergence of these services would be necessary and this could be a first step in that direction.
  • Reply 3 of 15
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,063member
    avon b7 said:
    This makes perfect sense from a consumer perspective. I said a while back that convergence of these services would be necessary and this could be a first step in that direction.
    Indeed. Perhaps it will also be a nudge to Apple to improve Siri. 

    Amazon has a huge advantage in having an always on device that can sell all its stuff. I'm rather waiting for when echo dots are offered for free, or some bundle. "Sign up for xxx amount of stuff, and get a free Dot." Or "Prime just went up to $125/yr, but renew for $99 when you buy a Dot." Get these things into consumers' hands, and they will buy buy buy.
  • Reply 4 of 15
    randominternetpersonrandominternetperson Posts: 3,089member
    AppleInsider said:

     namely the Anker Zolo Mojo, Mobvoi TicHome Mini, and Panasonic GA10.
    Did they have a "stupidest product name" contest and those were the three finalists?
    StrangeDaysSpamSandwichwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 15
    ihatescreennamesihatescreennames Posts: 1,904member
    How is this beneficial to either of them?  Meaning, what is the benefit to MS to have Alexa on their devices, and vice versa?

    A few weeks ago I was in Bed Bath & Beyond when I noticed a banner hanging from the ceiling near the cash registers for Amazon Echo.  Apparently you can buy an Echo at BB&B.  How does this make any sense for BB&B? Isn't Echo's primary purpose for people to purchase items from Amazon, a competitor to BB&B?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 15
    williamlondonwilliamlondon Posts: 1,324member
    ihatescreennames said:
    How is this beneficial to either of them?  Meaning, what is the benefit to MS to have Alexa on their devices, and vice versa?

    A few weeks ago I was in Bed Bath & Beyond when I noticed a banner hanging from the ceiling near the cash registers for Amazon Echo.  Apparently you can buy an Echo at BB&B.  How does this make any sense for BB&B? Isn't Echo's primary purpose for people to purchase items from Amazon, a competitor to BB&B?
    The benefit I would imagine involves something around the sharing of personal, private and/or anonymised data for the better to reach around your person in order to take money from your wallet without your noticing it.
    lolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 15
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,808member
    sog35 said:
    Two companies who have no idea what to do
    You mean like the blind leading the deaf?
    williamlondonRacerhomieXwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 15
    rotateleftbyterotateleftbyte Posts: 1,630member
    sog35 said:
    Two companies who have no idea what to do
    You mean other than:-
    - Extracting as much data from us as possible?
    - Extracting as much money from us as possible?

    Hey, what's not to like eh?

    Answer: Everything.
    Neither of these will get into my home. The same goes for Homepod btw.
    williamlondonRacerhomieXwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 15
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    sog35 said:
    Two companies who have no idea what to do
    Of course they do!  Copy Apple IP such as iOS or better yet steal IP such as Quicktime and Mac OS 1.0.
    RacerhomieXjbdragonlolliverwatto_cobrawilliamlondon
  • Reply 10 of 15
    RacerhomieXRacerhomieX Posts: 95unconfirmed, member
    These 2 are clueless. Shooting shit at the wall.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 15
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Guess that's a valid indicator of both companies weaknesses.
    lolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 15
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,311member
    ihatescreennames said:
    How is this beneficial to either of them?  Meaning, what is the benefit to MS to have Alexa on their devices, and vice versa?

    A few weeks ago I was in Bed Bath & Beyond when I noticed a banner hanging from the ceiling near the cash registers for Amazon Echo.  Apparently you can buy an Echo at BB&B.  How does this make any sense for BB&B? Isn't Echo's primary purpose for people to purchase items from Amazon, a competitor to BB&B?


    It benefits Amazon just like it does with all their stuff being sold at Best Buy also. How does it help Amazon. Well it gets more exposure to all their Echo Products. People can actually see them in person. Maybe don't know about them. They now need to setup a Amazon account, maybe even get Prime, and onto buying directly from Amazon .

    How does it help best Buy or BB&B? Not sure. Ok, they sell the devices and make a small profit and then those people are buying their products from Amazon now instead of BB&B or Best Buy! So it works out great for Amazon. They win wither you buy a Echo directly or from a brick and mortar store. The stores are the ones on the short end. Seems short sited to me. Helping to kill your own existence.
    edited August 2017 watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 15
    tsschwarztsschwarz Posts: 2member
    Makes sense to me as these companies will mine even more data about you and share it back and forth so if you have these devices say goodbye to even more privacy. Remember these devices are always listening and no matter what Amazon or Microsoft say if they can respond to what is on Radio or TV they are always listening not only when you say "Alexa" or "Cortana". Apple made a specific point to cover that point at the HomePod unveiling that it will only open an encrypted channel back to Apple when it hears "Hey Siri" and as far as what I've heard it won't be constantly sending data back to Apple to respond to Radio or TV information.
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 15
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,211member
    tsschwarz said:
    Makes sense to me as these companies will mine even more data about you and share it back and forth so if you have these devices say goodbye to even more privacy. Remember these devices are always listening and no matter what Amazon or Microsoft say if they can respond to what is on Radio or TV they are always listening not only when you say "Alexa" or "Cortana". Apple made a specific point to cover that point at the HomePod unveiling that it will only open an encrypted channel back to Apple when it hears "Hey Siri" and as far as what I've heard it won't be constantly sending data back to Apple to respond to Radio or TV information.
    They all do the same, activating only after "hearing" the keyword that starts a session: OK Google, Hey Siri, Alexa, etc all work the same way. Apple's Siri assistant "listens" in the same way as Google, Amazon and Microsoft.
    edited August 2017
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