Microsoft announced that only 2000 testers will experience the beta version of its virtual assistant Cortana for iOS.
The Redmond, Washington-based tech giant is currently distributing the Cortana for iOS beta to the first round of beta testers. These beta testers are presumably applied for the beta program earlier this month. Windows Insider has invited users to register their interest in testing the app, and a limited number of people who clicked through on the survey page are now qualified to install Cortana on their own devices.
Microsoft is using Apple’s TestFlight beta testing system, which is Apple-sanctioned method for distributing public betas on iOS. TestFlight will let developers distribute a beta app to only 2000 testers, and app beta periods can run for up to two months. In addition, the beta program is only open to users in the United States and China, PC World reported.
Microsoft executives have decided to make sure its flagship apps are available everywhere: the likes of Office, Outlook, OneDrive and now Cortana can all now be run on iOS and Android devices. It is all part of the”cloud first, mobile first” ethos the company instituted under CEO Satya Nadella. The company’s digital assistant is now an integral part of Windows 10, although desktop support has yet to extend to the United Kingdom.
However, Cortana’s iOS version will not be a full-feature just like the Windows and Android versions due to the more closed nature of the iOS universe. The iOS version of Cortana will not get the hands-free mode, so Siri will not be replaced at all.
Just like Google Now and Siri, Cortana can check information from the web, search through emails and calendar entries, set reminders on the go and more, according to Tech Radar.