Microsoft to remove Cortana from Microsoft Launcher on Android

What you need to know
- Cortana inside the Microsoft Launcher is being removed.
- Users will not be able to set it as the default assistant on Android.
Users of Cortana have been spoiled for choice when it comes to accessing the digital assistant on Android. Today, you can do so via the dedicated Cortana app, or via integration through the Microsoft Launcher. But according to sources familiar to the matter, Microsoft may be removing at least one of those entry points very soon.
I'm hearing that in the next couple of months, Microsoft will begin phasing out Cortana integration inside the Microsoft Launcher. Why? Because it no longer aligns with what Cortana is on mobile. Microsoft is pivoting Cortana away from being a single access point on a device and wants the assistant to work for you more contextually inside Microsoft 365 productivity apps such as Outlook, Skype, and Teams.
I don't know if this means the dedicated Cortana app on iOS and Android is going away as well. I've not heard anything about this, but I wouldn't be surprised if the dedicated apps follow suit. I do know that Microsoft is building a dedicated app for Surface Headphones and Surface Earbuds set up and configuration, which would alleviate the need for Cortana when setting up those devices.
I'm hearing that Microsoft is going to pull Cortana from the Microsoft Launcher on Android in the next couple of months. That sucks, if true. But with Cortana pivoting to being more about productivity, I'm honestly not surprised.I'm hearing that Microsoft is going to pull Cortana from the Microsoft Launcher on Android in the next couple of months. That sucks, if true. But with Cortana pivoting to being more about productivity, I'm honestly not surprised.— Zac Bowden (@zacbowden) November 5, 2019November 5, 2019
The one outlier here is Cortana on Windows 10. Microsoft is in the middle of building out a brand new dedicated Cortana app on Windows 10. Perhaps this is because Windows still needs a default assistant of sorts, but it's clear that Microsoft doesn't expect people to use Cortana like people use digital assistants on their phones.
If the dedicated app goes away along with the Microsoft Launcher integration, that does mean that fans of Cortana will no longer be able to use it as their assistant of choice on mobile. That's a real shame, but considering so few people use it already, it won't be something that most people will miss.
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Glad to be honest. Love MS Launcher but no fan of Cortana these days so it was more of a hindrance the way you lose functionality if you didn't use that too
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you will be able to use cortana on the microsoft launcher if you have the alexa app installed
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Sorry to say it... Being a old Windows fan... I'm kind of relieved.
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I wouldn't be surprised to see it still be available if you are signed into the launcher with an M365 business account.
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This stinks! So it looks like we may be forced to use Google Assistant or something else? That would really stink. If it comes to that I'm switching to Bixby...or figuring out a way to disable assistant all together.
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To make our app more helpful, we're making her harder to access and removing functionality. How does that compute to more helpful again?