Microsoft just took the gloves off at its annual Build conference today, where it showed off its new Windows Phone 8.1 OS and officially revealed Cortana, the company’s new Siri and Google Now competitor.
Insulting both Apple and Google, Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore claimed that “Cortana is the first truly personal digital assistant.”
Belfiore runs the Windows Phone product design team.
Joe Belfiore demoing new #WindowsPhone 8.1 features on stage at Build 2014. #bldwin pic.twitter.com/rjI7es1x9v
— Windows Phone (@windowsphone) April 2, 2014
Microsoft, so clearly late to the game, is making bold claims. Siri first debuted on the iPhone back in 2011, and Google Now in 2012. We’ve known of Cortana’s existence since December of last year.
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Cortana will surely fall flat unless the service can blow users away upon release.
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