Something to look forward to: The next major Windows update, due out in September, is going to bring better integration of third-party digital assistants as Microsoft looks to offer more options to consumers. Voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant will be able to wake Windows PCs from their lock screens, a feature that's currently available only through Microsoft's own Cortana.
Microsoft and Amazon have long remained on good terms when it comes to offering their voice assistant services on each other's devices. Now Microsoft wants to offer better integration of third-party digital assistants with its next update of Windows 10 19H2 to use them across more aspects of the OS, reports Windows Central.
After separating Cortana from the Windows 10 search bar, Microsoft moved its virtual assistant into a separate app for Windows and this new development indicates that the company is open to having several digital assistants available on its OS. A new Windows 10 19H2 Insider Preview Build 18362.10006 released to insiders in the Slow ring states this feature among other minor changes and improvements.
Once enabled, users can activate these third-party digital assistants from their PC's lock screen, although given the privacy concerns associated with such services, it remains to be seen how many users decide to utilize the feature.