Cortana, the personal assistant that comes with Windows 10 won’t be just restricted to Microsoft’s desktop operating system or its mobile equivalent, it will be available on competitor’s platforms as well. Cortana is expected on Android and iOS later on. It is currently undergoing testing on Android and the latest update to the beta release features something that will ruffle a few features: the ability to take the place of Google Now when you press and hold the home button.
By default, in most cases, Google Now is launched by pressing and holding down the physical home button and where it is not present it’s soft equivalent will normally do just the same thing. Now Cortana also allows beta testers to do exactly that. While the application is still in beta, based on user reaction, this is likely to make it to the final build that will be available on the Google Play Store. This more than anything else explicitly underscores the intentions of Cortana: to be front and centre of everything that is happening on any device.
Cortana will however need to match Google Now feature-for-feature if it is to gain any ground when it is eventually available to everyone. Google Now is expected to grow and become even better with Now on Tap when Android M exits its preview phase and debuts later in the year while its current feature set includes a hot word (Ok Google – customizable on some devices) that allows users to inquire just about anything on their device without touching the device.
