Microsoft Corp. has announced various new tools that will enable its digital assistant Cortana to become more useful and available on more devices.

Available in a private preview, Cortana Skills Kit makes it easy for developers to create new Cortana skills. The Cortana Devices software development kit allows manufacturers to integrate Cortana into various smart hardware devices, from cars to home appliances.    

Here’s more detail about the Cortana Skills Kit and Devices SDK, currently both in preview, which will be available more broadly in 2017:

Cortana Skills Kit for developers

With the Cortana Skills Kit, developers can use bots created with the Microsoft Bot Framework or port skills they’ve already created for Amazon.com Inc.’s Alexa to reach the 145 million Cortana users.

The skills created with the Cortana Skills Kits aren’t platform specific and will work across Windows, Android, iOS, Xbox and new Cortana-powered devices.

At its San Francisco event, Microsoft showcased some of the development partners who already using the Cortana Skills Kit as part of the private preview. Companies include Knowmail.me who is using AI to deal with email overload; Capital One Financial Corp. is using Cortana so its customers can easily manage their money; Expedia Inc. is making it easier to book hotels; and Seva Search Inc., creators of TalkLocal, are using Cortana to allow users to find local services using natural language.

Developers can sign up for updates and get access to the preview in February 2017, by signing up on the Microsoft Developer site.

Cortana Devices SDK for manufacturers

Thanks to the Cortana Devices SDK, Microsoft’s digital assistant will soon be available on a lot more devices. Third-party hardware companies will be able to integrate Cortana into its hardware devices, including cars, speakers and home appliances, and make them smarter.

The Cortana Devices SDK will allow Microsoft to challenge Amazon’s Alexa-powered Dot and Echo devices, as well as Google Inc.’s smart home speaker Google Home, which recently went on sale.

The Cortana Devices SDK is supported across multiple platforms including Windows Internet of Things, Linux, Android and others through open-source protocols and libraries.

Microsoft announced last week that Cortana would be available on Windows IoT Core as part of the Windows 10 Creators Update. Windows IoT has been designed for smart devices such as robots, thermostats, toasters, doorbells and picture frames.

Harman Kardon, a brand under Harman International Industries Inc., is one of the early partners who will integrate Cortana into an Amazon Echo-like device, which will be voice activated and will work with third-party services. Last month, Samsung Electronics Ltd. acquired car audio and electronics maker Harman for $8 billion.

Check out what the Harman Kardon speaker, with integrated Cortana, will potentially look like when it launches in 2017.

Currently in a private preview, the Cortana Devices SDK will be made broadly available in 2017. If you are a manufacturer who is interested in integrating Cortana into your device you can contact Microsoft to receive updates about the SDK as well as to be considered for the early preview.

Image credit: iphonedigital; Flickr