[Chris_Kez]

I wish "person-based" reminders were not limited to the next time you text/call/email someone, but could be triggered by actually being near them. I would like it if Cortana could use bluetooth or something like iBeacon to recognize that I'm standing near a particular person (technically, standing near their phone or other device known to Cortana), then remind me of something.

So contacts would have not only phone, email, address, website, but also specific bluetooth device signatures. And just like your phone or computer recognizes a paired headset or other peripheral, Cortana would recognize your friend's device (after some kind of pairing process) and associate it with their other contact info in your notebook.

Maybe a dumb question, but any reason(s) this couldn't work?

[Beppe Gissi]

This could work between Windows Phones if Microsoft would ever like to implement this function, but I don't think it could work cross-platform

[rhapdog]

This could work between Windows Phones if Microsoft would ever like to implement this function, but I don't think it could work cross-platform

No reason for it not to work cross-platform. It won't require any "handshaking" of the devices. Cortana only needs to see the Bluetooth device appear within Bluetooth range and check to see if any Bluetooth devices in range match the Bluetooth ID of the reminder. However, it would probably work between Windows Phone and Android, but not with iPhone, since iPhone can't seem to Bluetooth pair to anything not made by Apple.

Yes, it is possible to program such a feature, but probably not practical in every case scenario. I would love that feature, though, so I could say "next time I see my wife, remind me to talk to her about...", and when she walks in the door from work, Cortana could let me know. That would be awesome.

To get it implemented, it would take a lot of people requesting it in the uservoice.

[Marc43]

That's a FANTASTIC idea and seems like there is no reason it would not work and work cross platform. I just tested it from my WP with my work iPhone next to it with Bluetooth turned on both. My WP showed the name broadcast by my iPhones Bluetooth which is specific to me obviously. You would just have to associate that ID with a contact in your contacts (ahead of time obviously) and the next time it comes in range could easily trigger a reminder just like phone number or email or text....lets make.it happen..

How unique would that be to WP!!

[Beppe Gissi]

No reason for it not to work cross-platform. It won't require any "handshaking" of the devices. Cortana only needs to see the Bluetooth device appear within Bluetooth range and check to see if any Bluetooth devices in range match the Bluetooth ID of the reminder. However, it would probably work between Windows Phone and Android, but not with iPhone, since iPhone can't seem to Bluetooth pair to anything not made by Apple.

Yes, it is possible to program such a feature, but probably not practical in every case scenario. I would love that feature, though, so I could say "next time I see my wife, remind me to talk to her about...", and when she walks in the door from work, Cortana could let me know. That would be awesome.

To get it implemented, it would take a lot of people requesting it in the uservoice.

I don't know anyone that walks around with Bluetooth turned on.

[Chris_Kez]

I don't know anyone that walks around with Bluetooth turned on.

I never did until I got a Bluetooth headset. And then since I got the Microsoft Band I've had Bluetooth on almost 24-7. With more people getting wearables, we'll see even more Bluetooth users. Even without a wearable, I expect we'll see more Bluetooth usage related to location services.

[Chris_Kez]

Besides person-based reminders, I'd like to see more fine-grained location based reminders and situational awareness. Give me little BT-LE beacons for different floors or rooms in the house. Or the mailbox, or my car. GPS or WiFi based geofencing just isn't very exact. And that would open lots of possibilities beyond reminders.

Anyway, for the time being maybe I'll check User Voice for the person proximity BT reminder I asked about earlier.

[rhapdog]

I don't know anyone that walks around with Bluetooth turned on.

My wife and I both do. She wears a headset while driving, and I wear one around the house as long as I'm up and around. I take it off when I go to bed, or when I go to church.

Of course, this would only work with contacts where you have Bluetooth paired, and you know they keep the Bluetooth on.

All my wife's family keeps the Bluetooth on all the time as well, usually just to make it easier to share photos when they hook up, without having to go through the menus to turn it on/off.

Many people keep it on all the time. Some keep it turned off all the time.

Some people can be identified by their SSID, as they carry a device that broadcasts WiFi. I have one of those devices (battery powered), but don't always carry it with me as my phone serves me well.

I suppose MS could also come out with an app that allows people to "share" their location securely with other people of their choosing, as long as both people have the app. The app would have to be written cross-platform. The app could help you "find" where your friends are currently, and also could be checked by Cortana to see when a particular person is close by. Yeah, now I'm trying to make it complicated.

Perhaps you could have Cortana programmed to always monitor your camera lens, and when facial recognition spots that special someone... Oh, nevermind. Let's stick with the Bluetooth idea.

[RumoredNow]

You could geofence your friend's home or work location... Give it a nickname.

I know it isn't as full a solution as you are asking for, but would work in the here and now.

I'm not sure I'd let any of my friends' phones *sniff* my phone to get her scent. It just seems wrong to me.

[anon(8555314)]

Geofencing is not the answer because you want to give them the reminder next time you are with them in person, regardless of where the meeting takes place, and perhaps you never meet at his/her house.

[RumoredNow]

Yeah... I understand that... But there is something creepy to me about someone else's phone "knowing" my phone like that.

​Maybe because I'm old.

[WPit]

Besides person-based reminders, I'd like to see more fine-grained location based reminders and situational awareness. Give me little BT-LE beacons for different floors or rooms in the house. Or the mailbox, or my car. GPS or WiFi based geofencing just isn't very exact. And that would open lots of possibilities beyond reminders.

Anyway, for the time being maybe I'll check User Voice for the person proximity BT reminder I asked about earlier.

GPS or WiFi based geofencing will be in most cases precise? I believe the issue may be related to cloud processing and the nature and complexity of Cortana's AI and VI (she learns things - if you change your routine e.g. on vacations and don't have this checked in your calendar you'll drive her nuts maybe!), not the technology itself. I also think this is one of the most important motives for Cortana still being in Beta. Cheers! ; )

[NeoDerGrosse]

Of course it's not a dump question but I could give you a reason why it won't work anyways. The Problem is that the phones are neighter searching for devices around nor broadcasting their names all the time. For Windows Phone this is just the case when you're in the bluetooth settings. The only way to work around that is to pair the devices. This could work between Windows Phones but I'm shure it wont work with Android and iPhone. For me that's a huge deal since most of my friends use Android.

[gMaesterUK]

Sounds an interesting idea, I too have BT enabled 24/7 for my Fitbit.

Try adding it as a feature on: Cortana Feedback

G.

[rhapdog]

Added.

Bluetooth proximity based reminders, so that you can pair with a friend's phone. When that friend is near, you get a reminder. ? Cortana Feedback

Please go upvote it as much as possible so we can get it implemented.

[Broomcorn]

I thought of this the other day. It would be great for girlfriend reminders. Not sure how they could reliably pull it off though

[Beppe Gissi]

I thought of this the other day. It would be great for girlfriend reminders. Not sure how they could reliably pull it off though

For girlfriend reminders it could work with the help of wearables as when you see her you heart beats rate slightly increase so Cortana can assume you are actually seeing her and do the reminder

[rhapdog]

For girlfriend reminders it could work with the help of wearables as when you see her you heart beats rate slightly increase so Cortana can assume you are actually seeing her and do the reminder

Or he might be exercising or watching a steamy movie.

See my post above where I link the uservoice to have this function implemented. It states how it can be done as well. Do people just post a reply to a thread without reading even the opening post?

[rockstarzzz]

This could work between Windows Phones if Microsoft would ever like to implement this function, but I don't think it could work cross-platform

Cross platform will work too. All Microsoft needs to do is release apps on all platforms. Microsoft can easily pull this off, as its really good at catering with really delightful offerings especially on other platforms.

[Chris_Kez]

Added.

Bluetooth proximity based reminders, so that you can pair with a friend's phone. When that friend is near, you get a reminder. ? Cortana Feedback

Please go upvote it as much as possible so we can get it implemented.

Thanks! Voted

[emperor_skull]

That's a FANTASTIC idea and seems like there is no reason it would not work and work cross platform. I just tested it from my WP with my work iPhone next to it with Bluetooth turned on both. My WP showed the name broadcast by my iPhones Bluetooth which is specific to me obviously. You would just have to associate that ID with a contact in your contacts (ahead of time obviously) and the next time it comes in range could easily trigger a reminder just like phone number or email or text....lets make.it happen..

How unique would that be to WP!!

Which means for this to work, your phone's Bluetooth needs to be on ALWAYS and even your supposed friend

[Chris_Kez]

Which means for this to work, your phone's Bluetooth needs to be on ALWAYS and even your supposed friend

Fortunately we now have Bluetooth LE. As wearables proliferate, we'll all have BT on all the time. Not really a big deal once you're on a daily charge routine. :)

[Marc43]

I think most people actually have Bluetooth on by default now as Chris was alluding to..especially with wireless payment systems starting to catch on etc and wearables as he suggested. This would not be a sticking point.