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Cortana for Android now available for download as a public beta in the US
Cortana, Microsoft’s personal voice assistant, is now available for all residents of the United States to download in public beta form. Microsoft launched a closed beta of the app on Android back in July, but now the voice assistant can be downloaded by anyone who opts in to the beta testing program.
Similar to the functionality Google Now or Siri provides, Cortana is able to perform a number of tasks like setting alarms, scheduling appointments and even performing simple Bing searches. The app just saw a big update recently that would allow Cortana to be launched via the home button shortcut on Android, instead of Google Now.
Microsoft notes that there are a few differences between Cortana on Windows and Cortana on Android. For example, Android users aren’t yet able to toggle settings, open specific apps or launch the voice assistant by saying “Hey Cortana”. These features are only available on Windows for now, though we wouldn’t be surprised to see them come to the Android version in the future.
If you’re interested in downloading the beta version of Cortana for Android, follow the link below and select “Become a beta tester”. After you’re signed up, simply follow the Play Store link to start your download.