The US hardware and software giant has published a new support article for Cortana users in the UK, Canada and Australia.
"To make your PDA as useful as possible, we will integrate Cortana into your productivity applications on Microsoft 365," Microsoft said in a UK support note. “As part of this development, as of January 31, 2020, we will end support for Cortana on Android and iOS in your market.”
It is not clear whether Cortana for iOS and Android will continue to operate in the US and elsewhere after January 31, but the full support note also reveals that Cortana will disappear from Microsoft's Android Launcher after 31. January in the UK, Canada and Australia.
Microsoft Cortana is also used to configure settings and update firmware for devices such as the company's Surface Headphones. Microsoft did not say how Surface Headphones owners in the UK and elsewhere will continue to access these features.
Microsoft launched Cortana for iOS and Android in December 2015 and was originally designed to connect Windows 10 computers and mobile phones. Despite a major redesign, Microsoft failed to compete with other digital assistants over the phone, and elsewhere, prompting Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella earlier this year to fail. Cortana is a competitor to Alexa from Amazon and Google's Assistant.
Microsoft is currently focused on integrating Cortana into the more business-focused parts of Microsoft 365. The digital assistant is also being integrated directly into Outlook's iOS and Android email application so that it can read emails with voice High on the go.