Technology giant Microsoft will have a limited public beta launch in the coming weeks of its iOS version for Cortana, the company's virtual assistant.
Techies who want to be part of the beta trial must fill out a short survey on their iPhone and provide the model, iOS version and the frequency they use Cortana in Windows. Those who complete the survey would get an email soon with the download links. The beta testing is limited for now in the U.S. and China, reports PCWorld.
Microsoft made available the virtual assistant to all platforms as part of its strategy to offer its services to users of other OS. In May, the firm announced Android and iOS versions of Cortana. The Android version became available to the public in summer.
Due to the closed-down nature of the iOS, Cortana would not be full-featured on iPhones compared to user experience of the Microsoft virtual assistant in Android or Windows phones which allows shortcuts to launch Cortana anywhere by just saying, "Hey Cortana."
While the tech website says it is unsure what Cortana features would be available to iOS phone owners, it points to reminders, event scheduling, daily briefings and Bing searches as the likely ones.
With the beta testing, consumers need not own a Windows device to experience Cortana, which brings up information based on what it learned about the user. However, PCWorld points out that sans "deep hooks into the operating system," iPhone users would likely stick with Siri, Apple's virtual assistant.
It adds that the limited beta testing period would be a good time for Microsoft to refine its approach to Cortana before it makes it available to the general public using other OS. Microsoft adds that while the current iOS version does not have all the features available on Windows phones, it plans frequent updates with new features and functionality in the coming months, according to PCMag.