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Microsoft is developing a last-gasp 'iPhone killer' in its bid to take on Apple and Google.
Its current Windows Phone devices have failed to attract buyers - but the firm thinks it has one last chance at success.
The firm hopes its 'Surface Phone' could become as popular as the Surface tablet.
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Its current Windows Phone devices have failed to attract buyers - but Microsoft thinks it has one last chance at success.
'We need some sort of spiritual equivalent on the phone side, that doesn't just feel like a phone for people who love Windows,' Microsoft's CMO Chris Capossela said.
However, he admitted the firm still has work to do on the product.
'I think we have to do more breakthrough work' to make Ap ple fans 'pause before they buy their 17th iPhone,' he said on an episode of the 'Windows Weekly' podcast.
While Microsoft has had success with tablets and now a laptop, the company's smartphone marketshare is just 3% globally.
'To do something that I really think would compete,' Capossela says, 'we need time to actually go build that.'
Capossela says, the Microsoft Surface Pro tablet line succeeded by merging the laptop and tablet into one device, providing the best of both worlds.
It is believed a Surface Phone could also take this approach.
Microsoft unveiled two phones, the Lumia 950 and 950XL, with prices starting at $549 and $649 respectively staring in November.
Windows 10 Mobile, the company's latest smartphone operating system, has a feature called Continuum which lets you hook your phone up to a TV or monitor and use it almost like a PC.
Previously, it had been rumored that Microsoft is giving the Surface Phone an ability to run full Windows software, not just apps from the Windows Store market, acco rding to Tech Insider.
Microaoft has also recently launched several apps for other phones.
In the battle of the virtual assistants, Siri and Google Now aren't the only ones competing.
Six months after Microsoft announced plans to bring Cortana to iOS, the digital concierge has officially started beta testing on Apple's platform.
The software company has selected 2,000 iPhone users to participate in the testing of Cortana, which combines features from Siri and Google Now into one package.
Six months after Microsoft announced plans to bring Cortana to iOS, the digital concierge has officially started beta testing on Apple's platform. The software company has selected 2,000 iPhone users to participate in the testing of Cortana, which combines features from Siri and Google Now into one package.
HOW TO USE CORTANAThere are two ways to use Cortana: you can use voice commands, or you can type out your commands in the Start Menu.
If you choose the former, you may want to enable the 'Hey Cortana' feature. With this on, you can say 'Hey Cortana' out loud to trigger voice commands without pressing a button.
Here's how: Search for 'Cortana settings' in your Start Menu. Enable the toggle under 'Hey Cortana.'
Under 'Respond best', you can choose 'to me' to tailor Cortana to your voice. You'll need to perform a couple quick exercises to teach Cortana your voice.
Otherwise, Cortana will work for anyone.
The app can only be accessed through Apple's TestFlight tool, this allows developers and beta testers to notify Microsoft of any bugs or glitches they may come across.
The testing period could be as long as 60 days and is only open to the United States and China.
'Cortana will be able to help you get lots of things done, from searching for things on the web or your device to setting reminders, dictating email, or toggling device settings,' said Joe Belfiore of Microsoft.
'Part of the power of a personal assistant comes from being available on the go, on the device you carry with you everywhere.
'Regardless of the operating systems you choose across your devices – everything important to you should roam across the products you already own – including your phone.
'A nd for people who don't have the benefit of a Windows phone, we want to extend the advantage of Cortana in Windows 10.
The Cortana voice interface is a combination of Microsoft's Power BI technology and machine learning, which results in a cloud-based Software-as-a-Service.Because this is a Microsoft product, it can connect users with their accounts on all of their devices, such as a PC or Xbox One
'Today, we're announcing a Cortana application for Android phones and for iPhones which works as a companion to Cortana on your Windows 10 PC.
'The 'Phone Companion' app on the PC will help you install the Cortana app from the Google Play or Apple App Store onto your phone so you'll be able to take the intelligence of Cortana with you, wherever you go.'
The virtual assistant was named after the AI character in Xbox's Halo, although she isn't as smart as the gaming version, Cortana can setup reminders, pull up directions and answer your questions all from your smartphone.
The Cortana voice interface is a combination of Microsoft's Power BI technology and machine learning, which results in a cloud-based Software-as-a-Service.
Cortana is setup to search with Bing, but users can change it to use the search engine of their choice.
The app can only be accessed through Apple's TestFlight tool, this allows developers and beta testers to notify Microsoft of any bugs or glitches they may come across. The Cortana voice interface is a combination of Microsoft's Power BI technology and machine learning, which results in a cloud-based Software-as-a-Service
Because this is a Microsoft product, it can connect users with their accounts on all of their devices, such as a PC or Xbox One.
The app is part of the bundle of extras Microsoft offers for iPhones including Sunrise and Outlook add-ons.
However, the experience with Cortana on a Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile will be different compared to that on Apple's iPhone or iPads.
Apple's mobile operating system offers limited integration with system apps, components and third-party apps, which limits the things an app can do.
The virtual assistant was named after the AI character in Xbox's Halo, although she isn't as smart as the gaming version, Cortana can setup reminders, pull up directions and answer your questions all from your smartphone
Microsoft has tried to create digital assistants before, without success.
Microsoft Bob, released in 1995, was supposed to make using a computer easy, but ended up being the butt of jokes.
The Office Assistant nicknamed 'Clippy' suffered a similar fate a few years later.
However, t he firm says Cortana will be far more powerful.
'The Cortana app can do most of the things Cortana does on your PC or on a Windows phone.
'You can have Cortana remind you to pick up milk the next time you're at the grocery store, and then your phone will wake up and buzz with the reminder.
'You'll be able to track a flight using Cortana on both your phone and your PC, and get the updates on the device that you're on so you don't miss anything.'
Microsoft has been running its 'personal assistant' Cortana on its Windows phones for a year, and will put the new version on the desktop with the arrival of Windows 10 this autumn.
Cortana is setup to search with Bing, but users can change it to use the search engine of their choice. Because this is a Microsoft product, it can connect users with their accounts on all of their devices, such as a PC or Xbox One
Apple's Siri is advertised mostly as responding to requests.
Google's mobile app, which doesn't have a name like Siri or Cortana, already offers some limited predictive information 'cards' based on what it thinks the user wants to know.
Google's latest mobile app uses the predictive power generated from billions of searches to work out what a user is doing, what they are interested in, and sending relevant information, such as when a favorite sports team is playing next.
Apple is also pushing Siri, which uses Microsoft's Bing search engine in the background, into new areas with its CarPlay and HomeKit platforms, as well as the Apple Watch.
Source: Microsoft's last chance: Firm hints supercharged 'Surface Phone' could take on Apple's iPhone
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