Android has Google Now. iOS has Siri (and Google Now). Windows Phone has Cortana. That's the way the story goes, or at least, that's how it has progressed thus far. According to Reuters, this may soon change. Microsoft apparently plans to bring its Halo-inspired digital assistant to both Android and iOS.

Like Google Now, Cortana tries to learn your behavior and interests in order to simplify your life and be relevant. It can respond to questions or make itself useful in the background by pulling information from your email or calendar appointments to suggest when you should leave. Unsurprisingly, Cortana derives answers from Bing, not Google.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQFrd6SEiLM

This move would get Cortana in front of more users, giving Microsoft a larger audience for its work. After all, Windows Phone won't be steering folks away from Android or iOS in any significant numbers any time soon. The company has brought many of its services to competing platforms, and they've become increasingly compelling.

Reuters says Cortana will come as a standalone app. While no specific time frame was given, look for it to arrive sometime after a new version launches with Windows 10 this fall.