Attempting to slip in a story on a Friday’s end, hoping for unnoticed attention!
Once viewed as Microsoft’s flagship smart assistant for Windows, Cortana, the cherished character from the Halo game series, was launched on the operating system in 2015. However, over time, support for Cortana has waned, raising questions about Microsoft’s eventual decision to discontinue the assistant.
Indeed, that is precisely the situation unfolding. According to XDA Developers’ report, a support document has surfaced on the Windows website, disclosing that Microsoft intends to end support for the Cortana app on Windows later this year. Although the assistant will remain accessible in certain productivity apps for the time being, the trajectory seems clear to all.
We will be implementing alterations to Windows that will affect users of the Cortana app. Commencing in late 2023, we will discontinue support for Cortana as an independent app within Windows. Nevertheless, you can still utilize robust productivity features in Windows and Edge, which now possess enhanced AI capabilities. This implies that you can still receive assistance with tasks, calendar management, and email, albeit through novel and captivating methods. This modification solely affects Cortana within the Windows environment, while your productivity assistant, Cortana, will remain accessible in Outlook mobile, Teams mobile, Microsoft Teams display, and Microsoft Teams rooms.
Today’s announcement doesn’t come as a surprise. During Microsoft’s recent Build event, they introduced Windows Copilot, an AI-powered assistant seamlessly integrated into the taskbar, providing support across the entire operating system. This development served as a clear indication that Cortana’s days were numbered, and now the news has been officially confirmed.
