Microsoft officially terminates the Cortana app for both Android and iOS today, 31 March 2021. The Cortana voice assistant was launched in November 2018 as a response to the growing popularity of Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant. Perhaps lack of active users using Cortana on the Android and iOS platforms, mostly due to the systems having their own voice assistants, made Microsoft change Cortana’s strategy and the app was removed from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store in January 2020.
Microsoft on their official support page says:
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.
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.
As for the change of the strategy, Microsoft is implementing Cortana in its Microsoft 365 suite of productivity apps as well it will still continue to be the default Assistant for Windows 10. The company is also integrating Cortana in Outlook and its Briefing emails, giving it functionality to help users to stay in control of your calendar. It is also being integrated into the Teams mobile app, to streamline communication, collaboration, and meeting-related tasks.
For those, who have still used Cortana till its last days, Microsoft said that you don’t have to worry about losing some of its content created by Cortana, such as reminders and lists. That information will still be accessible through Cortana on Windows or in the Microsoft To-Do app for both Android and iOS which is automatically synced Cortana’s reminders, lists and tasks.
