A developer preview for Cortana is coming to the UK in two weeks

Microsoft showed off its virtual assistant called Cortana earlier this year when it unveiled Windows Phone 8.1. Right now the feature is only limited to users in the U.S. Its present on phones that ship with Windows Phone 8.1 and those that have already received the WP8.1 update on their supported devices. The company has said multiple times that it will expand Cortana to other markets soon and a recent tweet from Microsoft’s Marcus Ash suggests that Cortana Developer Preview should be released for the UK sometime in the next two weeks. Ash is the group program manager for Cortana on Windows Phone, in case you were wondering who he is. Replying to a query about Cortana on Twitter, he revealed that the release timeline in now down to less than two weeks for the developer preview, that his “barring an unforeseen issue.”

Cortana is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated features of the Windows Phone 8.1, first introduced along with the new iteration of the mobile OS in April. While the feature was until now available only in beta form and only in the US, it has now been noted that the voice-based virtual assistant will be reaching the UK shores within two weeks. According to a tweet by Marcus Ash, Cortana’s Program Manager, the voice-based virtual assistant will be available in less than two weeks for devices running Windows Phone 8.1 developer preview. “@petestensones @WindowsPhoneUK Barring an unforeseen issue, down to less than 2 weeks for the developer preview,” stated the Twitter post. However, the exact date has not been mentioned as of now. Ash also added in further tweets that the dedicated Microsoft team learnt a lot about ‘scaling’ while working on Cortana. “@petestensones @WindowsPhoneUK Thanks for your patience. Tough project but we have learned a lot about scaling. Now we need to finish.” Cortana will also boast a British accent says Ash. Neither the exact date of arrival has been mentioned nor Cortana’s availability to devices not running the developer preview Windows Phone 8.1. Last month, Ash also added that along with UK, China will also receive Cortana within weeks. Besides the news of Cortana arriving in the UK, a tweet by Joe Belfiore, Corporate Vice President and Manager for Windows Phone Program Management at Microsoft, states the arrival of the customisable new lock screen app for Windows Phone 8.1 smartphones will arrive in about a week’s time – a feature that would enable users to utilise Lock Screen themes.