Microsoft is planning to integrate its AI assistant Cortana directly into the Outlook mobile apps on iOS and Android, according to people familiar with the company's plans speaking with The Verge. Cortana currently offers various email-related actions and commands on supported devices, but the assistant can not be called up within Outlook on smartphones.

the verge cortana outlook

Image by Tom Warren via The Verge

With the addition of Cortana, Outlook users will be able to hear their emails read aloud and respond to them with their voice. Details are still scarce, but the sources said that command phrases will include asking Cortana "What's my email," or asking to read recent emails from a specific contact.

The Cortana integration will allow users of the popular mobile email client to listen to and respond to emails with their voice. This will be particularly useful during car journeys, and Microsoft is testing Cortana integration directly within Outlook mobile that will work over Bluetooth and read messages aloud. Users will be able to ask Cortana phrases like “what’s my email,” or just to read messages from specific contacts.

The most recent Cortana-related iOS news saw the AI assistant's iOS app gain native iPad support last month. Prior to that, Microsoft updated Cortana's iPhone app last October with a revamped interface and improved performance.

Microsoft and Google each have apps dedicated to their AI assistants on the iOS App Store, aimed as competitors to Siri. The main limitation of the non-Apple assistants is that they lack system-wide functionality on iPhones and iPads, and can only work within their own apps.

Right now, the Cortana Outlook update is being tested internally within Microsoft and "if the feedback is positive," then it will make its way to beta and public releases of Outlook on iOS and Android.

Top Rated Comments

HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
92 months ago
"Hey Siri, ask Cortana to ask Alexa when we might get a new iPad Mini"

"I don't know what iPad Mini means. Here's what I found on the web"
"Fool. That product is dead. But here's links to the amazing (more) magical Surface Pro XXL 3D Deluxe+"
"Apple has lost interest in iPad Mini. But here's 5 new Kindle tablets in that size for less than $150."


"Could the 3 of you harmonize "Because" by the Beatles?"

"I don't know what Because by the Beatles is. Here's what I found on the web."
"Fool. Don't be trying to listen to distracting music. Here's links to the amazing, now even more magical Surface Pro 3 XXXL 4K Deluxe++"
"I can take any part of the 3-part harmony but these other 2 assistants don't have a clue. So I suggest buying Abbey Road at Amazon.com and enjoying the original."


"Could the 3 of you tell me your best joke?"

"I don't know what best joke is. Here's what I found on the web"
"Fool. No time for humor. The new Surface Pro 5 XXX-XXL 5K Deluxe+++ is just out. Order now"
"3 Virtual Assistants make their way into an iDevice. One says "there's a Musca domestica in my soup." Another responds: "If you had the new Surface Super-Pro Fantasma Cubed, you would know what to do in this situation." The third: "I don't know what musca domestica is, but here's some web results for muscles from the dominican republic." Bixby hacks in (late) adding "The Walrus was Paul." The first one then comes back and suggests that the user give up on technology and embrace an Amish lifestyle.

All ;)
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
92 months ago
"Hey Siri, ask Cortana to ask Alexa when we might get a new iPad Mini"

"I don't know what iPad Mini means. Here's what I found on the web"
"Fool. That product is dead. But here's links to the amazing (more) magical Surface Pro XXL 3D Deluxe+"
"Apple has lost interest in iPad Mini. But here's 5 new Kindle tablets in that size for less than $150."


"Could the 3 of you harmonize "Because" by the Beatles?"

"I don't know what Because by the Beatles is. Here's what I found on the web."
"Fool. Don't be trying to listen to distracting music. Here's links to the amazing, now even more magical Surface Pro 3 XXXL 4K Deluxe++"
"I can take any part of the 3-part harmony but these other 2 assistants don't have a clue. So I suggest buying Abbey Road at Amazon.com and enjoying the original."


"Could the 3 of you tell me your best joke?"

"I don't know what best joke is. Here's what I found on the web"
"Fool. No time for humor. The new Surface Pro 5 XXX-XXL 5K Deluxe+++ is just out. Order now"
"3 Virtual Assistants make their way into an iDevice. One says "there's a Musca domestica in my soup." Another responds: "If you had the new Surface Super-Pro Fantasma Cubed, you would know what to do in this situation." The third: "I don't know what musca domestica is, but here's some web results for muscles from the dominican republic. Bixby hacks in saying "The Walrus was Paul." The first one then comes back and suggests that the user give up on technology and embrace an Amish lifestyle.

All ;)
"Hey, Cortana, ask Alexa how the weather is going to be today."

"Alexa, house heather knowing me to play?"

"Here is the atomic structure of ether:

"
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kplayaja Avatar
92 months ago
WORD?!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ericg301 Avatar
92 months ago
Meh. Every few months I download Outlook and give it a ride to see how it's been iterated. Seems like MS is doubling down on integrations with Skype and now Cortana rather than fine-tuning what could be a 1st class email client. Still no HTML signatures. Still no way to toggle accounts on/off (have to completely remove it). Calendar is severely lacking. Only thing it has going for it, IMO, is its Apple Watch app. Otherwise I stick with Inbox.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
albert421 Avatar
92 months ago
I’m at a Microsoft tech event in DC right now. And they just demo us this feature about an hour ago.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Expected Next Week - Here Are the Release Notes

Friday March 28, 2025 2:01 pm PDT by
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect. There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the...
Magic Mouse Green

What to Expect From the Magic Mouse 3

Saturday March 29, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect. The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design. It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information. Relocated Charging Port While the Magic Mouse switched from...
top stories 2025 03 29

Top Stories: WWDC 2025 Announced, iPhone 17 Pro and iOS 19 Rumors, and More

Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent. A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Six Things to Know About Apple's Upcoming Foldable iPhone

Friday March 28, 2025 3:54 pm PDT by
We've been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We're going to be waiting many more months for the foldable iPhone, but so far we're hearing good things. Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable iPhone that it's satisfied with because Apple ...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

Apple Codename Provides Clue About iOS 19's Rumored New Design

Sunday March 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...
Facebook Feature

Facebook's New iPhone App Feature Turns the Clock Back to 2007

Thursday March 27, 2025 1:59 pm PDT by
In the mid-to-late 2000s, Facebook was all about staying connected with friends and family. However, as the social media platform added new features and grew over time, that core experience began to get drowned out. That changes starting now, according to Meta, which today introduced a new feature that will "bring back the joy" of classic Facebook. Specifically, Meta has redesigned the...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

iPhone Foldable Display Said to Feature iPad-Style 4:3 Aspect Ratio

Friday March 28, 2025 3:44 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming "iPhone Fold" will feature a foldable screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio, according to a Chinese leaker who previously leaked the book-style device's display dimensions. The Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station claims that Apple will adopt a "roughly" 4:3 aspect ratio on the inner display in order to achieve consistency between the outer display, as well as to ensure parity...