Skype for Android adds Cortana support for chat suggestions and more

Microsoft has already released a version of its Cortana digital assistant for Android. Today, the company revealed it is rolling out an update for its Skype chat apps for both Android and iOS that adds built-in support for Cortana.

Microsoft says that the Cortana feature in Skype will offer users quick suggestions to respond to text chats. For example, if your Skype friend asks if you are going to the movies tomorrow, Cortana will pop up some suggested answers to that question, such as “Yes”, “No” or something else.

In addition, Cortana might also show some other kinds of information based on your Skype chat responses, such as a review of a movie or restaurant you might be discussing. If you have something on your schedule that you are chatting about with a friend in Skype, Cortana can also recommend setting up a reminder for that event.

Finally, you can actually chat directly with Cortana herself (itself?) and ask questions like what the weather forecast is looking like for the weekend, or asking for suggestions for the best places to eat that are nearby. At the moment, the Cortana feature in Skype for Android and iOS is only available in the US; there’s no word yet on when it might expand to other countries.

This latest expansion of Cortana follows news a few days ago that Windows 10 users can set it up to control smart home devices from companies like Nest, SmartThings, Hue and more. How do you feel about Microsoft adding direct Cortana support to Skype? Let us know your opinions in the comments!