14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft integrated Cortana personal assistant in Windows Phone 8.1 and suggested with several occasions that it wants to bring the same feature on some other Windows platforms, including the desktop and tablet flavors of the operating system.
The company has moved one step closer to a potential release of Cortana for Windows desktop with the introduction of new Skype features that allow users to start new calls using voice commands.
Skype 2.19 for Windows Phone brings Cortana integration, which pretty much means that users can now ask their personal assistant to start a new call with one of their contacts with the help of a simple voice command.
“Cortana is the new personal assistant on Windows Phone 8.1 who keeps you closer to the people and things who matter most. Now you can start Skype video and audio calls by simply asking Cortana something like ‘Skype get Lara Kingwell on the screen’. Cortana is currently available in the US on Windows Phone 8.1,” Microsoft explained earlier today.
Since Skype is also available on all the other Windows platforms currently owned by Microsoft, it all seems to be just a matter of time until Cortana arrives on the desktop. People familiar with the matter told us that Skype was very likely to be the first app that'll work with Cortana on the desktop too, but there are no details right now on the release date.
At the same time, source close to the development process revealed to us that the first beta of Windows 9 might integrate an early version of Cortana that would thus confirm Microsoft's intentions to bring the personal assistant on the desktop. While we can't confirm that this is indeed true, such a scenario pretty much makes sense, especially because Windows 9 is said to be in the works as we speak, just like the first desktop build of Cortana.
A Microsoft employee recently posted online information that also points to a desktop version of Cortana, but again, no timing details have been provided.
“For the record, Cortana WILL BE coming to other platforms, for ALL PC's and Tablets, you will need to be on Windows 8.1 or higher (PC versions and RT) as well as Xbox One,” he posted.
As you can see, he did mention that Windows 8.1 or higher might be needed in order to run Cortana on the desktop, which could actually be a sign that Windows 9 could represent the first operating system aimed at the traditional PC that includes a version of the personal assistant.
Of course, nothing is confirmed so far and as we know, Microsoft does not wish to comment on future project, so our own option is to wait and see what's happening.