Microsoft’s Cortana meets an untimely end on iOS and Android

Cortana on an iPhone. (credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft's Cortana app for iOS and Android will soon shut down, the company has announced on a support page. This effectively puts a nail in Cortana's coffin for consumer use cases, at least as far as competing directly with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa goes.

Here's what the announcement says:

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.

This is no surprise. Microsoft had already begun deprecating Cortana on mobile in certain markets, and the writing seemed to be on the wall when the company announced that many of Cortana's consumer-focused skills would be getting the axe about a year ago.

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