Microsoft to unveil their own intelligent personal assistant for Windows Phone

Intelligent personal assistants have been a big part of the mobile phone since 2011, when Apple unveiled Siri, the natural language interface to answer questions, provide helpful links and set timers and reminders for iOS users.

Google Now came shortly after, a better way to tie in all the Google services and using their mapping functionality, a great way for Google to connect the user to plenty of different places. Now, Microsoft wants to have a go at their own intelligent personal assistant.

Named Cortana, the virtual assistant will be available in time for April and will most likely be unveiled at Microsoft’s BUILD conference. Numerous reports have said Microsoft will be adding the virtual assistant onto their Windows Phone, Windows RT and Windows 8 lineup.

The success of Cortana is questionable, Siri and Google Now both have their uses, but we have to wonder how many users take to using the virtual assistant on a daily basis. Microsoft has had less success in the past when its come to adding products other have already made, most importantly the iPod and Zune.

According to other reports, Microsoft will even fit the virtual assistant into the Xbox One, the gaming console powered by Kinect. This will allow users to get response from the Kinect, instead of just accepting commands.

Cortana will be integrated into Microsoft’s services, including Outlook and Bing Search. We are not sure how it will work, it should be similar to Siri and just answer queries and set up reminders and appointment, we doubt Microsoft have the services to make a competitor to Google Now.