Microsoft's Cortana voice assistant will only provide results from its Windows 10 browser Edge and search engine Bing based on a blog post on April 28, Thursday. It is limiting customers' options to guarantee a good browsing experience.   

The OS giant wrote that Windows 10 has more users and usage. This has resulted in software that finds workarounds to allow Windows 10 users to be directed to search engines not designed to function with Cortana. Microsoft claims this provides a less reliable experience, according to CNET.    

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In particular, several Cortana users have made queries on Google instead of Bing. Microsoft's head of search and Cortana Ryan Gavin stated that Windows users will still have the option to install non-Microsoft web browsers and use other search engines outside the Cortana virtual assistant, according to BBC.

However, the company has justified limiting Cortana users to Edge and Bing by adding extra features to the browser and search engine. For example, Gavin explained if someone used the digital assistant to search for a local restaurant Bing would show a webpage and map for the nearest locations.  

Meanwhile, technical searches would include useful webpages and more details in media including videos.

Microsoft hopes that providing an end-to-end search experience would result in multiple actions after a Windows user made one search. Gavin gave the example of searching for Rihanna concert tickets. In the future search results would produce information such as seat preferences before the singer's fans click on the payment button.  

However, analyst Danny Sullivan wrote on the Search Engine Land news site that Microsoft was making a big mistake by limiting users' choices. In particular, users have to take complex steps to change the default search engine for Edge and Explorer.

The Alphabet company continues to dominate the search market. Statistics from Statcounter show that 90 percent of global searchers are done on Google. Bing comprised about 3 percent of all searches.  

In related news, Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently shared the company's vision of device-free searches. The tech giant stated in the company's annual shareholder letter that it sees future searches being based on artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Here's what Cortana can do on Windows 10: