Microsoft Reveals Cortana, a Competitor for Apple Siri and Google Now

March 3, 2014

After several years in development, Microsoft has revealed its intelligent personal assistant. Her name is Cortana, and she’s Microsoft’s equivalent of Apple’s Siri and Google Now.

Sound familiar? Cortana was also the name of an A.I. construct in the Halo series. Truthfully, it’s a wicked smart choice for a name. It’s assumed that the default voice will sound just like Halo‘s Cortana.

Cortana will be added to Windows Phone 8.1 at some point in the future. The question is, will Cortana eventually find her way onto the Xbox One? If so, it could be a huge selling point for the Kinect 2.0.

Voice software has come a long way over the years, but requires a lot of refinement. Microsoft is behind in the game which could give it a rough start. But better late than never, right?

Here’s what the interface currently looks like:

[Image: The Verge]

Although Jonathan Leack began covering the gaming industry in 2009, his earliest roots date back to 2004 when he wrote his first of many reviews to come. Equipped with a B.S. in Computer Information Systems and several information technology certifications, he provides a unique perspective that is technological and business conscious. Having acquired the role of Executive Editor in 2016, his mission is to make GameRevolution a gaming site that thoughtfully considers the consumer perspective, and has a knowledgeable presence of PC gaming, console, hardware, and eSports coverage.