The Invoke smart speaker from Harman Kardon is pulling support for Cortana, the company has confirmed. It was the first and only speaker with Microsoft's digital assistant technology.

Cortana Is No More on the Invoke

Ahead of the upcoming removal, Microsoft has made preparations for nixing support for the Cortana digital assistant integration with Harman Kardon's Invoke smart speaker.

Thurrot reports that a firmware update will start rolling out on Wednesday, March 10, 2021.

It should reach all active Invoke devices in the following weeks. "Please note that the Cortana service on the Harman Kardon Invoke will end in the coming months regardless of whether you receive the update," says Harman Kardon.

Launched in 2017, the Invoke was the first and only Cortana-driven speaker.

But can you skip this Cortana-killing update? It doesn't seem so---Microsoft has said it'll be automatically pushed to any devices connected via Wi-Fi for six months after its release. "This update will not be available after August 31, 2021," reads an advisory on the Harman Kardon website. For further information, read the FAQ on the Microsoft website.

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This highlights the power that major software providers such as Google and Microsoft wield over device makers. Some of the people who have bought an Invoke will no doubt be disappointed that smart assistant functionality is being removed from their purchase.

"We’ve spent a lot of time thinking through this transition and understand that these changes may be disruptive to some of our customers," notes the company.

An Olive Branch to Customers

Thankfully, Microsoft is offering an olive branch to affected customers: a $50 gift card that can be used for any Microsoft Store purchases, but you must redeem it by July 30 of this year. To claim yours, visit Microsoft's redemption page in your web browser, then log in with the same Microsoft account used to set up your Invoke and follow the instructions.

According to the fine print, this offer is valid for any owners of "the last US Microsoft account that was used to set up an Invoke speaker that sent a voice request to the Cortana service since July 31, 2019, and prior to our announcement." In other words, those who haven't used their Invoke for quite a while might be ineligible for the offer.

Moreover, the speaker's MAC address must match an eligible active Invoke. Microsoft also states that the offer doesn't cover the  Invoke speakers that were part of a developer or employee program (in which the Invoke was provided free of charge).

The offer is limited to one gift card per Invoke and only available in the US.