Cortana 2.0 Brings New UX to iPhone

Three months after its release on Android, Cortana 2.0 is now available on iPhone as well. The big news here is a redesigned user experience, but this release also includes other new features.

Here’s what’s new in Cortana 2.0 for iPhone:

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New UX. Cortana 2.0 brings “a fresh new look with an improved user experience.” By which Microsoft means, the dark gray UI is now purple and there are a few more prompts to do stuff.

Old Cortana UX (left) and the 2.0 version (right)

Redesigned calling, texting, and reminders. In addition to the color scheme change noted above, Cortana 2.0 also features redesigned calling, texting, and reminders. I don’t have any pending reminders, but looking at the New reminder screen, that does appear to be redesigned with a cleaner new UI.

More immersive full-page answers. As before, Cortana prompts you with potential questions you can ask—“Show me top headlines,” “When does Fall begin,” “Where was Obama born?” and so on—but I’m not seeing anything particularly immersive or new in the answers. Maybe I’m asking the wrong questions.

Better performance. Microsoft notes that Cortana 2.0 provides “faster page transitions and improved app responsiveness.”

Obviously, Microsoft will continue updating Cortana across its supported platforms, and if you use this personal digital assistant, you have probably noticed an escalation of routine reminders, like daily weather, across Android and iOS already. But more is coming: I’m on the Cortana beta on Android, and there I see that a coming 2.5 release will bring Cortana support to the lock screen. (At least on Android devices; it’s not clear if this can happen on iOS as well.)

You can download Cortana 2.0 for iPhone from the Apple Apps Store.

You can download Cortana 2.5 Beta for Android from the Google Play Store.

 

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Conversation 9 comments

  • BigM72

    10 March, 2017 - 10:46 am

    <p>Is it available in Europe yet?</p><p>I never really understood why it's not available in the same countries across platforms. e.g. here in the UK we have Cortana on Windows 10 – both on PC and mobile but we can't get the Cortana app on iPhone nor Android.</p><p>It's a cloud service and the app is just an interface.</p>

  • wolters

    Premium Member
    10 March, 2017 - 11:45 am

    <p>I like how, on Android, I can make Cortana the default assistant. The question is, do I want to use my newly received Google Assistant or continue to use Cortana since it works across my Microsoft devices. And someone who has been burned by Microsoft many times on things I fully embrace, will Cortana go by the wayside one day too? </p>

    • jimchamplin

      Premium Member
      10 March, 2017 - 12:22 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#89715"><em>In reply to wolters:</em></a></blockquote><p>I kinda doubt it. Cortana is important to Microsoft and they know it. Nadella's Microsoft doesn't seem as scattershot as it was during Ballmer's tenure.</p>

      • wolters

        Premium Member
        10 March, 2017 - 12:41 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#89725">In reply to jimchamplin:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>True…it does seem to be something they are behind. I've just been burned too many times. From the major things I loved (Zune, Windows Phone, WIndows Media Center) to minor things (Bing Food and Drink, the So.Cl website.) </p><p><br></p><p>I have to say Cortana does work well on Android. And now, even the XBOX. </p>

  • Brian Devins

    10 March, 2017 - 11:55 am

    <p>I found the monochromatic look much more attractive. The new design looks like The Artist Formerly Known as Cortana.</p>

  • Gavin Groom

    11 March, 2017 - 7:38 am

    <p>I wish the app would make it to the Australian store.</p>

  • rafaelsolmaker

    12 March, 2017 - 3:00 pm

    <p>New UX or just a colorful palette swapping? Anyway, the other updates are good stuff.</p>

  • irfaanwahid

    13 March, 2017 - 3:48 am

    <p>Cortana is not yet available in Kenya, I don't know when will MS release their stuff globally. Same applies to WordFlow that still isn't available here. What I have learnt, their consumer offerings don't come to these markets as fast as their Business products.</p><p>Paul, any clue when will Cortana on iOS will be available in Africa market?</p>

  • zorb56

    Premium Member
    13 March, 2017 - 8:54 am

    <p>I use Cortana on the iphone. The most annoying thing is when I open it, I must wait until all the dumb cards load before I can start typing. If I start typing before that, when the cards load, all of my input is wiped away. I can sometimes get almost all they way through a querey before this occurs if I have bad cell service. Unacceptable. This only started with the update prior to this.</p>

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