Last month, Microsoft announced to launch Cortana for Android users to compete with Google Now and Apple’s Siri virtual personal assistant app. A beta version of the Cortana for Android app has been leaked before its official launch, which is expected later this month. The APK file is still available for download if you want to test it out.

Microsoft’s statement regarding the leaked Cortana for Android App:

“In the spirit of the Windows Insider Program, we’re testing the Cortana for Android beta with a limited number of users in the U.S. and China before releasing the beta publicly in the next few weeks.”

If users want to use Cortana for Android, they are required to have a Microsoft Account, and signing in will bring users directly into Microsoft’s Bing search engine. Then users will have to choose what the app calls them and they are ready to use the app. When the app is loaded for the first time, users will be shown a brief overview of what functions can be performed by Cortana for Android.

Just like other virtual personal assistant app, Cortana for Android can access users’ contacts, voice input, calendar details, location, search history and much more. Users can ask Cortana to search for them, send out emails, create reminders, and lot more by using their voice. Users can change the access settings in the Notebook tab whenever they want.

The Microsoft virtual assistant has all the same features as in the Windows version, except for the ability to say ‘Hey Cortana’ to activate the app. Instead, users will have to open the app from the screen.

Microsoft’s move to bring Cortana for Android is supposed to be the company’s plan to win users for its services on Android. Later this year, Microsoft is also planning to bring Cortana for iOS users also, but an official launch of the Android client is expected by the end of July.