It appears that Microsoft finally listened to the millions of Windows 10 users, who wanted to get rid of Cortana. Windows users will no longer have to deal with the annoying pop-up of the digital assistant.
In the latest build of the software named Windows 19H1 Insider 18317, which can be tested by any users who wish, Microsoft announced that it will separate Windows search from the digital assistant on the taskbar.
For Windows Insider users, this means that the search bar will be separated from Cortana. At the same time, the digital assistant will have a separate icon that will provide its services instantly with a click.
Dona Sarkar, head of the Windows Insider program, writes: “This separation will allow each feature to operate and develop independently to better serve users on a case-by-case basis”.
Microsoft criticized many times for the coexistence of Windows Search and Cortana, as the two functions serve different purposes. Often, the search functionality gets in the way of Cortana during a search query, and vice versa. However, this will soon be history after the release of Windows 19H1, scheduled for April 2019.
Microsoft has big plans for Cortana. In a previous build, the company tied the digital assistant's functionality to Microsoft To-Do and Outlook. And that's just the beginning. Many reports suggest that Microsoft is trying to turn Cortana into a full-fledged assistant, one that can compete with other digital assistants from Google and Apple.
