Microsoft has revealed its expansive new 8.1 update to its Windows Phone OS at its Build developer’s conference in San Francisco.
The update brings a multitude of new features to the mobile platform, including the Cortana digital assistant – Windows Phone’s answer to Siri – the notifications-friendly Action Centre and a Swype-style keyboard.
Other additions to the OS include a redesigned lock screen, the option to display your wallpaper behind Live Tiles and business-friendly features such as VPN support and the ability to read encrypted emails.
Fans of the Halo video game franchise will recognise the voice of Windows Phone 8.1’s new Cortana voice assistant: It’s voice actress Jen Taylor, who voiced the character in the video game.
In the Halo series, Cortana is an artificial intelligence guide who is the right hand to series hero Master Chief.
Microsoft says that it wants to emulate the relationship between Master Chief and Cortana from the Halo series for users of its Window Phones, hinting at the supposedly deeper understanding of users that Cortana will aim to achieve.
Cortana is powered by Microsoft’s Bing search engine and essentially replaces the search function on a Windows Phone smartphone. You can use it to make phone calls, send texts, take a note or give you a reminder.
Cortana has a “notebook” where you can store your interests, places you frequent, calendar, relationships with friends, family and colleagues and your “quiet hours.” So for instance, during your quiet hours you can let only certain calls come through.
The more you use the search function the more Cortana learns about you, by asking you if you want her to store it.
In what sounds like an an eerie demonstration of the new digital voice assistant feature, Greg Sullivan (Director, Windows Phone) asked Cortana; “who is your father?”.
Her response: “Technically speaking, that’d be Bill Gates. No big deal.”
The Windows Phone 8.1 update starts rolling out to consumers who currently own Windows Phones in the next few months.
