Microsoft Drops 'Hey Cortana' Feature From Android App

Microsoft has removed "Hey Cortana" functionality from its Android app in the U.S.
Redmond noted the move in the change log on Google Play, writing simply that it has "Removed 'Hey Cortana' feature for US market."

"We've received user feedback that the 'Hey Cortana' feature is conflicting with Android voice search and are temporarily disabling the feature while we evaluate a solution," Microsoft said in a statement.
Android devices have their own version of Cortana, Google Now, which also responds to voice activation.


Cortana arrived on Windows Phone 8.1 last year, and landed on the desktop with the launch of Windows 10. There were rumors about it expanding beyond the Windows ecosystem, however, and that was confirmed in August, when Microsoft released a beta version of Cortana for Android. A beta for iOS arrived last month.
Full versions for iOS and Android landed earlier this month, as well as limited availability on Cyanogen.
Hands-free "Hey Cortana" functionality is not available on iOS or Android, nor is toggling settings or opening apps. But you can do things like set a location-based reminder on your PC—just before leaving work, perhaps—and have it pop up on your smartphone once you've arrived at the set destination.