Cortana for Android and iOS Gets Revamped; Now Available in the UK

Microsoft's voice-based virtual assistant Cortana, despite being highly effective, has not received the kind of attention from users that Apple's Siri and Google Now, and Google Assistant enjoy. In a move, which seems to aim at shaking things up a little, the Redmond-based company has now introduced a new design for the UI on its Android and iOS mobile apps with its latest update. The apps have now made their way to the UK as well.

As of now, the company has only updated the Cortana app on Android but says that the iOS app will be updated "in coming weeks." Interestingly, the Cortana for Android and iOS updates have changed the primary colour on the mobile apps from blue to purple. Considering that Microsoft's virtual assistant had Blue as its primary colour since its launch, the company is seemingly trying to provide it with a fresh look. Apart from the change in primary colour the company has introduced several new changes to the UI on the mobile apps to provide them with a simplified look, as per the company.

Apart from the design changes, the company has also announced that the Cortana mobile apps for Android and iOS will now be made available in UK as well. They were formerly only accessible in the US and China when launched in December last year.

The Cortana apps for Android and iOS allow users to set reminders, which are updated across platforms and help users remember their appointments. If users are unable to attend a call, the voice-based virtual assistant also sends back text to inform the contact that user is currently busy and will call back later. The Hey Cortana feature, similar to Ok Google, is only available on the Android platform.

"It's not just the look we've updated. The Cortana app is now faster so you can get what you need more quickly on the go," Microsoft said in its blog.