Microsoft is preparing to unveil a number of Windows 10 consumer features at an event in late January, but some are leaking out a little early. WinBeta has obtained access to Cortana on an unreleased Windows 10 build, providing an early look at how the digital assistant will make its way from the phone to PC. Cortana for Windows 10 appears to support most of the features that currently exist in the Windows Phone version, including reminders, calling people, location and mapping, launching apps, and checking weather information.
While the demonstration shows how basic Cortana is inside of Windows 10 right now, Microsoft is working on more closely integrating the digital assistant into the operating system. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell The Verge that the software maker has been testing a variety of different ways to surface Cortana in Windows 10, including a Cortana icon on the taskbar instead of a search button. It’s not clear exactly how Cortana will fully exist in the final version of Windows 10, but this early build is similar to a mock up that The Verge published in September. Microsoft has also been expanding Cortana’s reach this week, with a preview launch in France, Italy, Germany, and Spain.
