Microsoft’s Cortana, the so-called upcoming rival to Apple’s Siri, is said to be prepared for a launch in the Netherlands soon. Cortana, which has been said to feature two updates each month, is a natural language voice-controlled digital assistant that has already been part of the Windows Phone 8.1 Preview for Developers, allowing just about anyone to install it on their handset as long as it has been configured according to US settings. Microsoft Netherlands, however, has hinted that Cortana could be making “her” way to Europe soon.
"Knock knock, who's there..?" pic.twitter.com/aLr9OP5bjz
— Microsoft Nederland (@microsoftnl) June 9, 2014
According to the tweet above, does this raise hopes of a worldwide Cortana debut? It is highly possible that one of the limitations where Siri and Cortana are concerned is, they happen to rely on local services when it comes to many questions which does take a fair amount of time to resolve.
Do take into consideration, however, that Microsoft did make a note at the Windows Phone 8.1 launch that Cortana would hit the UK and China in 2014, without making any further mention as to whether other countries would be on the receiving end of some Cortana goodness later down the road.
As for Windows Phone UK director Leila Martine, it was reinforced that both the UK and China would welcome the arrival of Cortana later this year, without giving the game away that there will be other debuts in different countries in 2014. Who knows, they could be really good at keeping a secret? Would you like to see Cortana roll out in different countries other than just China, the UK and the US?