You can now get Microsoft’s Cortana assistant on iOS and Android

First and most obviously, Cortana is only available today in the US on Android and iOS.

Microsoft has always made it clear that Cortana will always offer the best experience on Windows devices – although much of that is less about “Windows-first” ideology, and more about limitations in integrating the assistant with other operating systems.

In a press release, Microsoft points out that there are still some things Cortana can do on a Windows phone that it can’t do on an iOS or Android.

Been dying for Microsoft’s Siri-competitor, Cortana, on your iPhone or Android device? Unfortunately for Microsoft, its share of the smartphone market is rather dismal compared to the market leader Android and runner-up iOS.

You can use Cortana to track your flights, interests, weather and packages, but won’t be able to perform system activities like turning off WiFi, which is found on its Windows counterpart.

Some notable bits that DO work on Android devices, regardless of the above statement, include the “Hey Cortana” feature inside the Cortana app and on the Android home screen (where enabled), as well as missed call notifications with Android devices connected to Windows 10 PCs. With the Cortana app, get a missed call alert on your Windows 10 PC and let Cortana send a text back letting them know you’ll call them later – all without leaving your PC. You can also activate her by saying “Hey, Cortana” out loud. Cyanogen seems to be one answer, but that’s not stopping Microsoft from trying to improve Cortana on iOS and Android. With Cyanogen software, Android users will have essentially all of the abilities Windows Phone users have over Cortana, including being able to speak to the personal assistant without opening up the separate app. This won’t be available on iOS just yet because of Apple’s developer restrictions, but it’s easy to see where Cortana is heading in the future.