Cortana fans on Android, rejoice. With the latest update of Cortana for Android, Microsoft’s digital assistant can now become the default option, replacing Google Now. Users can replace the Google Now shortcut by pressing and holding the home button. This brings Cortana to the forefront.
The private beta version of the voice-based digital assistant for Android was launched last month.
Unfortunately, voice activation for Cortana is not possible at the moment due to hardware limitations. This prevents Cortana from constantly listening for its activation phrase, but we reckon this is good enough. It also means that the “OK Google” voice command will work even if you’ve reassigned the gesture.
And if you’re ready to switch back, just open the App Info settings page for Cortana, tap “clear defaults,” and then repeat the gesture and select Google Now instead.
Cortana app for Android is currently in beta, which means, not every will gain access. However, should any Android user want to give Cortana a test run, Microsoft is hosting a sign-up process for the beta, so folks should get to it before it goes away.
Cortana for Android is far from ready for prime time and is not yet in a position to be compared to the version available in Windows 10. It also means users have less of a reason to pick up a smartphone that is powered by Windows 10 Mobile.
By the way, Microsoft is also bringing Cortana to iOS, but it could have even more limitations in Apple’s operating system.
