Microsoft to integrate Skype with Cortana digital assistant

The Skype-Cortana integration will be similar to what Google’s Assistant in Allo. Cortana will be available for Skype on both iOS and Android platforms.

Microsoft corporate vice president Joe Belfiore, of the Operating Systems Group, demonstrates the new Cortana personal assistant during the keynote address of the Build Conference in San Francisco. (AP/Eric Risberg)

Microsoft will be soon rolling out an important update for its Skype messaging application. The new update will bring built-in support for Microsoft's digital assistant Cortana.

Cortana "will be gradually rolled out" for Skype on both Android and iOS platforms, starting with the US, The Verge reported late on Tuesday.

Users will be able to start a private chat with Microsoft Cortana in Skype and the assistant will give them quick suggestions while responding to text chats.

"With Cortana's in-context assistance, it's easier to keep your conversations going by having Cortana suggest useful information based on your chat, like restaurant options or movie reviews. Cortana also suggests smart replies, allowing you to respond to any message quickly and easily -- without typing a thing," Skype wrote in a blog post.

The update to integrate Cortana with Skype was announced more than a year-and-half ago. However, it is not clear what has been the reason for the delay, the report added.

The integration would be similar to what we have seen Google do with its assistant in "Allo" and Facebook with "Messenger".