Earlier this month, we reported that Microsoft is planning to remove its assistant Cortana from the Microsoft Launcher on the Android platform. As per the recent development, it seems like the company is indeed killing off its Cortana assistant from the launcher. Furthermore, the Washington-based brand is also cutting the support for the app on the iOS platform. The software maker has recently posted a new support article which reveals all the future plan of Cortana. Here is everything that the support page talks about.
Microsoft Killing Off Cortana for iOS and Android
Starting from 31 January 2020, the company is ending the support for the Cortana app in the UK, Canada, and Australia. The application will also disappear in other major markets including Germany, Mexico, China, Spain and India. Surprisingly, it seems like the app will stay put in the US region for some reason. Along with the standalone app, the Cortana integration from Microsoft Launcher will also disappear next year in the affected markets.
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Instead of the standalone app, Microsoft is now switching its focus to Office 365 productivity apps. In fact, the company is working on integrating the assistant service deep into the Office Suite. As a part of this development and evolution, the brand is cutting off the support for Cortana on Android and iOS. For those who’re unaware, the Cortana app is also used for accessing various settings and updating firmware for Surface headphones. It would interesting to see how the brand will figure out the alternative for Surface headphones and similar devices.
Cortana in the United States
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Microsoft Cortana’s support will remain put for the United States. This means that the Cortana users in the US can continue to use the application. Furthermore, users will receive future updates and software support. Like the other markets, we’re expecting the support to end in the US in the near future. On the other hand, there is no word on how long the app will continue to operate in this region.