Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is introducing its Cortana to new territories starting with China and the United Kingdom. Joe Belfiore, Microsoft Corporation’s corporate vice president of operating system said, that Chinese and British Windows phones users will have access to Cortana, when they update to Windows Phone 8.1 (WP 8.1) next week.
Customized Cortana from Microsoft
Cortana is named as “Xiao Na” in Chinese and will respond in Mandarin along with providing information on the local-TV shows and celebrities.
Likewise, the British users will get their version of Cortana that will speak with British accent and give updated information about English Premier League and data from the London Stock Exchange, according to Mashable. Other markets such as India, Australia and Canada can, also, use Cortana, but Microsoft said that there would be a test conducted and customized according to the United States and U.K. audiences.
In April, Microsoft announced the update during the developer’s conference that will include hardware capabilities to develop the hardware division beyond Nokia. Till now, Nokia has been the dominant contributor for the Windows phone, but recently the software giant has entered into a deal with companies like Samsung, HTC, Huawei and ZTE.
WP 8.1 update brings much awaited features
Post update, the phones can use two Sim cards, have enhanced screen resolution for lower cost phones and more support to the “smart covers” that notifies the user through a small window in the cover like on Samsung’s S4 and S5. Also, the update ramps up the charging and enhance support for Bluetooth accessories like fitness tracker wristbands.
The software update from Microsoft will allow the user to group the folders in the live tile, a feature that Apple iPhones and other devices already offer. The folders can contain four to 18 apps at once. After the update, users will also able to select multiple items in many built- in apps such as calls, SMS and voicemail to delete or archive them. Also, the update would allow users to secure sections of the device without using a device-management tool.
WP 8.1 has VPN support for the businesses allowing users to organize VPN settings after connecting it to the Wi-Fi Hotspot, which was being missed on Windows Phones by its users ever since it was launched in 2010.
