A video clip has shown the newest features of Microsoft phones. This was an integration of the next-generation assistant for its future phones. Can this be a close competitor of Apple's Siri?

Recently, a two-minute video was released in Youtube highlighting the future integration in Microsoft phones. The video used Microsoft phone model Window's 8.1 as a demo for a personal digital assistant with the alias "Cortana." The handset model is reported for released mid March or April 2014.

The leaked video did not include audio of the Cortana's speaking voice, but distinctive features of the digital assistant were shown in bits. The leaked clip was uploaded by UnleashedThePhone Web site and has made the enthusiasts and Microsoft phone fans curious.

An article posted in Cnet.com cited Cortana was named after an artificially intelligent character in Microsoft Halo series. The character has the ability to adapt and learn, hence, the new Microsoft personal digital assistant.

The digital assistant can learn and adapt through machine-learning technology. The assistant also integrates its adapting and learning capacity through "Satori" knowledge repository similar to Microsoft's search engine Bing.

The digital assistant though will work as an optional feature. The video showed Cortana requires user to sign in with a Microsoft Account to work. Upon signing in, Cortana will be available as a default search engine in the phone upon pressing the Bing button.

Like Apple's Siri and Google Now, Cortana has the ability to answer queries and follow instructions and command from its user.

Aside from the video, there were leaks posted on different Web sites for other Cortana features. A photo of Window's phone 8.1 indicated the icons which Cortana could facilitate it is available at The Verge while other Web site published articles on how the supposed-to-be future digital assistant for Microsoft phone works.

If released, Cortana will be the core operating system of the future versions of Microsoft phones and Microsoft Windows and consoles.

The personal assistant technology has been the talk in Microsoft since 2011. Microsoft has yet to release an official statement on this integration and comment on the video that was released in Youtube.