Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Phones
  3. Computing
  4. Mobile
  5. Smart Home
  6. News

Microsoft to end Cortana support for iOS, Android, Harman Kardon Invoke speaker

By
Add as a preferred source on Google
 

Microsoft is ending support for Cortana on mobile devices and on the Harman Kardon Invoke speaker, as the digital assistant continues to be primed for Microsoft 365.

Recommended Videos

Microsoft said that it will end support for third-party Cortana skills on September 7, which will be followed by the shutdown of the digital assistant’s iOS and Android apps in early 2021. Mobile device owners are advised to utilize Cortana’s integration in Windows 10, Outlook mobile, and soon in the Teams mobile app.

The Cortana mobile app has been installed about 6.5 million times globally since launch, with 59% on Android and 41% on iOS, according to Sensor Tower. However, from a peak of 750,000 total installs in the fourth quarter of 2016, the figure was down to only 46,000 installs in the second quarter of 2020.

The Harman Kardon Invoke speaker will also be losing Cortana integration after a firmware update set to roll out in January 2021. A Bluetooth-enabled device transition plan with Harman Kardon is in the works, and owners are being offered a $50 Microsoft Store Online gift card as consolation as the change will effectively downgrade the Invoke from a smart device into a Bluetooth speaker.

Also affected is the first version of the Surface Headphones, owners of which are entitled to a $25 gift card as the audio accessory will lose Cortana next year. The two versions of the Surface Headphones and the Surface Earbuds, however, will still be able to utilize the digital assistant through Outlook mobile.

The planned changes to Cortana will be made “to adjust our focus areas of innovation and development to give our customers assistance where they need it most,” according to Microsoft, with the affected features and functionalities selected due to their low usage.

“As we work to focus Cortana on where we believe the assistant will be most helpful for modern work, Microsoft is making changes to certain pre-existing Cortana capabilities and integrations that were more consumer centric, and instead doubling down on areas where we think Cortana can really make an impact when it comes to user productivity,” a spokesperson for Microsoft told Digital Trends.

Updated July 31, 2020: Added information on Cortana mobile app install figures from Sensor Tower.

Aaron Mamiit
Aaron Mamiit
Former Contributor
Aaron received an NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was four years old, and he has been fascinated…
Topics
Your backpack needs one of these power banks before classes start
I picked 4 power banks that can survive your longest day on campus
Anker Nano 3-in-1 10,000mAh portable power bank for iPhone.

Finding an empty outlet on campus can require more patience than registering for a popular class. Common spaces like libraries or lecture halls rarely have sockets in the right places. So a good power bank gives you far more freedom. It gives you the option to choose the quiet corner of the library, work outside between classes, or even finish an assignment without worrying about your laptop's battery.

The right model depends on what you carry, since a phone needs far less power than a MacBook or gaming laptop. I picked four Anker power banks that cover everything from everyday phone charging to running several demanding devices at once.

Read more
The Minimal Phone 2 looks dramatically better than the original, and I’m genuinely here for it
Plastic is out, metal is in, and Minimal Phone 2's renders suggest the digital detox phone concept finally has the hardware to match its ambition.
Electronics, Mobile Phone, Phone

I've been following the Minimal Phone since its initial crowdfunding days. The first iteration had the right idea trapped inside the wrong body, I’d say. Plastic build, no 5G, an underwhelming camera, and e-paper ghosting that frustrated early adopters; all these issues kept the phone from reaching a wider audience. 

Now, founder Armen Youssefian has posted what appears to be a 360-degree render of the Minimal Phone 2 on X, and from what I can see, the team has done its homework.

Read more
The EU says TikTok still isn’t doing enough to protect kids
Regulators say the platform's privacy settings don't go far enough under the Digital Services Act.
TikTok Creative Featured

The European Commission has accused TikTok of falling short on protecting minors, saying the platform's current account settings don't meet the child safety standards required under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The findings are preliminary, but if upheld, TikTok could face a fine of up to 6% of its global annual revenue.

Why the EU thinks TikTok isn't doing enough

Read more