Microsoft has announced plans to cease support for the standalone Cortana app on Windows 10 and 11 by the end of 2023.
Microsoft’s voice assistant Cortana was launched in 2014 for Windows mobile devices as a rival to Apple’s Siri. Despite Microsoft’s aspirations, Cortana was unable to match the widespread recognition and adoption of Siri.
Throughout the years, Microsoft broadened its vision for Cortana, culminating in the discontinuation of the Android and iOS apps in 2021. The company even phased it out from devices produced by partner manufacturers, like smart speakers. Microsoft later transformed Cortana from an integrated digital assistant to a standalone app for PCs – the very app that will be laid to rest by year’s end.
In the announcement, Microsoft assured users that enhanced AI productivity features will continue to be accessible in Windows and Edge.
The company highlighted the latest iteration of Bing, which now harnesses the power of OpenAI’s GPT-4 technology. Additionally, they introduced the Microsoft 365 Copilot tool in March that can generate content within Office apps using text-based prompts.
While it is likely that Cortana’s absence will affect only a small fraction of users, those that rely on the assistant are encouraged to transition to Copilot. A preview version of Copilot will be available for Windows 11 users beginning this month.
