Cortana Integration Coming to Outlook Mobile Apps
Microsoft is reportedly testing a new Cortana integration for Outlook’s mobile apps on Android and iOS. The new integration, currently in internal testing, will look to offer a hands-free experience for Microsoft’s popular email client on Android and iOS, reports The Verge.
Cortana will allow Outlook users to check their inbox with voice thanks to the new integration. By simply asking “what’s my email” will allow users to listen to Cortana read out their inbox. What’s more, users will also be able to respond to emails in their inbox, or write new emails their voice. The integration seems incredibly useful, especially if you are someone who gets a ton of emails and travels a lot.
Cortana is already accessible on Outlook.com through the Skype integration and the Cortana bot for Skype, though this new Cortana integration on Outlook mobile’s purpose is entirely different. It’s not clear if Microsoft will allow users to use the personal assistant for regular tasks like checking the weather, news, etc. from the Outlook apps, however.
Needless to mention, Microsoft’s personal assistant is a critical position at this point. It’s clear the personal assistant is falling way behind Microsoft’s main competitors like Google and Amazon, and there’s a staggering amount of things Cortana has to catch up to. Just last week, Outlook’s boss moved to lead Cortana, and we will likely see some drastic changes to the firm’s strategy in the coming months.