Cortana for iOS and Android is being retired today

Mar 31, 2021 13:29 GMT  ·  By

Today is the day: Microsoft is killing off Cortana for Android and iOS, with the app no longer be supported starting tomorrow.

The Redmond-based software giant officially announced back in the summer of 2020 that its digital assistant would no longer be supported on mobile platforms, with the company embracing a completely different approach for its digital assistant.

In other words, Cortana waves goodbye to iPhone and Android, but instead, it’ll continue to be available on Windows and in other Microsoft products, as the focus has been switched on enterprise-focused capabilities.

This is something that makes perfect sense, especially because Cortana has never impressed in terms of adoption figures on mobile devices. In fact, this was quite a mission impossible, especially since both iPhone and Android come with their own digital assistants offered as a native feature.

Cortana now an enterprise-focused assistant

In Windows 10, however, Cortana has become a second-class citizen, as Microsoft is betting big on enterprise features rather than focusing on the consumer side of the assistant.

“As we announced in July, we will soon be ending support for the Cortana app on Android and iOS, as Cortana continues its evolution as a productivity assistant,” Microsoft explains in a tech support document.

“As of March 31, 2021, the Cortana content you created–such as reminders and lists–will no longer function in the Cortana mobile app, but can still be accessed through Cortana in Windows. Also, Cortana reminders, lists, and tasks are automatically synced to the Microsoft To Do app, which you can download to your phone for free. After March 31, 2021, the Cortana mobile app on your phone will no longer be supported.”

If you’re still running Cortana on your iPhone or Android device, the app will no longer work starting tomorrow.