Microsoft is expanding Cortana’s functionality on Android with a new feature for Messages. The company already lets users reply to messages from their PC using Cortana on Android, and the latest addition takes the SMS integration a step further.

With the latest update, Microsoft is adding a new feature that will enable Cortana to read messages aloud. The feature, currently in beta, will be enabled by default when your device is connected over Bluetooth to your car or another device. So when you are on the road driving and can’t look at your phone, as soon as someone texts you, Cortana will read the message aloud without you needing to do anything else.

Of course, some users may have privacy concerns, but Microsoft is letting users configure or completely turn off the feature. Keep in mind that this is only in beta for now, so there’s a very tiny chance of it not making it to a public release.

Thanks for the tip, Andrew!

Tagged with Android, Cortana, SMS