Google Inc., (NASDAQ: GOOG)/ Microsoft Corporation, (NASDAQ: MSFT)- The “Hey Cortana” activation keyword for Microsoft’s digital assistant now arrives on Google’s Android mobile operating system.

Windows 10’s personal digital assistant, Cortana, was released along with the software’s launch a few months back. The name Cortana comes from the respective AI assistant that appeared through a hologram in Microsoft’s renowned Halo video game franchise.

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Cortana made its debut in the mobile world with Windows 10 Mobile three weeks back. A tad later, the Redmond giant rolled out an app for Android called Cortana for Android, which brings Cortana to Google’s mobile operating system.

Both on Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile Cortana can be activated directly through voice by saying “Hey Cortana“- similar to Google’s “OK Google” voice command for Google Now. Though, the particular feature was missing in the Android version of Cortana, until today, as Microsoft has just circulated an update that includes the “Hey Cortana” gimmick.

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We should point out the fact that Cortana for Android comes with a few limitations over the Windows 10 Mobile version -which is pretty logical since Android is not Cortana’s native OS. To use the hands-free mode of Cortana, the device’s display has to be on and the screen unlocked or if the user has already the app open.

Android news website, AndroidCentral, adds that usually that is the case with Google Now for a number of Android-powered handsets.

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Moreover, to enable the “Hey Cortana” voice activation feature, all you have to do is launch the app and enable it from Settings. It is worth noting that the application is currently in a beta stage, meaning that there are a lot of updates to follow prior to the launch of the complete version.

Do you think that Cortana for Android might overtake Google’s very own Google Now voice assistant? Let us know in the comments below.

Via: iSurfPaducah.com

Source: AndroidCentral

Featured image credit: NHAustralia.com.au