After careful consideration, we’ve decided to end support for the Cortana service integration in the Harman Kardon Invoke speaker in early 2021. We know that most of our customers primarily use the Invoke to play music because of its premium quality sound. To make sure you can keep listening to music or your favorite podcasts, we’ve worked closely with Harman Kardon to create a Bluetooth-enabled device transition plan that we hope will help ease the impact of this change.
Customers who receive a firmware update from Harman Kardon in early 2021 will still be able to continue listening to their favorite music, podcasts, and radio stations on their Invoke via Bluetooth. The firmware update will be delivered automatically to devices connected to Wi-Fi within six months of its release. Once the Invoke is updated, Cortana will no longer be accessible on the device. The update started rolling out to all devices in March 2021.
Additionally, we offered Invoke customers one Microsoft Store promotional gift card per active Invoke. The gift card program ended on July 30, 2021. All gift cards that were not redeemed before this date have expired.
We’ve spent a lot of time thinking through this transition and understand that these changes may be disruptive to some of our customers. We look forward to continuing to innovate on ways Cortana can help you navigate the modern workplace so you can save time and focus on the things that matter most in your day.
Frequently asked questions
A: After careful consideration, we’ve decided to end support for the Cortana integration in the Harman Kardon Invoke speaker in early 2021. We’ve worked closely with Harman Kardon to create a device transition plan that we hope will help ease the impact this has on some of our customers.
As we shift Cortana to a more productivity focused transformational AI-powered assistant experience in Microsoft 365, we need to shift our areas of innovation and development to provide our customers the best possible experiences. Part of this shift involves rethinking Cortana’s integration within the Harman Kardon Invoke, where few users engage in the productivity tasks that Cortana is focused on. We greatly value our customers, and this was a tough decision we did not take lightly.
We are excited for what the future holds for Cortana and all the productivity assistance it will provide our customers in the future through deeper integration within Microsoft 365 tools and services, and have taken steps to minimize the inconvenience to our active users.
A: Although Invoke users will no longer be able to access Cortana through their device as of early 2021 when they receive the firmware update from Harman, customers will still be able to leverage the premium quality sound available with the Invoke via Bluetooth. Customers will automatically receive the firmware update when their device is connected to Wi-Fi.
A: If your Invoke speaker is connected to Cortana via Wi-Fi, then Cortana will automatically install the update silently in the background – you will not need to take any action. After the update Is installed, your Invoke will perform like other Bluetooth speakers – you will be able to pair it with your phone or other audio source and stream music to it. But Cortana and other Wi-Fi functions will no longer be available.
A: Harman plans to roll out the firmware update in early 2021. We will update the support page once dates have solidified.
A: The gift card program ended on July 30, 2021, and all gift cards that were not redeemed before this date have expired. Gift cards that were redeemed before he expiration date must be spent within one year of the day they were redeemed. See full promotional gift card terms at Microsoft gift cards terms and conditions.
A: No, gift cards are for U.S. Invoke customers who were using Cortana on their Invoke prior to July 31, 2020 (the date of the announcement of end of service). See full terms above.
A: The MAC address is a 12-character alphanumeric code that can be found on the bottom of the Invoke, or in the Cortana mobile app under Devices > Settings.
A: Once the Invoke is updated, Cortana will no longer be accessible on the device, but customers will be able to continue listening to their favorite music, podcasts, and radio stations on their Invoke via Bluetooth connection to another device.
A: After the update, the top panel touch function will control Bluetooth audio playback. The blue ring will be removed from top-panel animations. For detailed information about how to operate your Invoke speaker with Bluetooth, please visit www.harmankardon.com/invoke.
A: No. The Invoke does not support other digital assistants.
A: You can still use the Cortana mobile app to configure your device through early 2021. After the Cortana mobile app retires, you will still be able to configure and update your Invoke through the Cortana Device Setup app on Windows 10.
Note: It is not currently possible to set up your Invoke speaker using iOS version 14.2. Please upgrade your iOS to a newer version or use one older than 14.2.
A: To receive the update, your Invoke must be connected to the internet and kept online overnight, between 2 AM and 5 AM local time. The update started rolling out to some devices on February 25, 2021 and will roll out to all devices in the following weeks.
If your speaker isn’t already connected to the internet, it’s encouraged that you connect as soon as possible to ensure you receive the update prior to July 31, 2021. Please note that the Cortana service on the Harman Kardon Invoke will end in the coming months regardless of whether you receive the update.
A: After the firmware update, you will be able to pair your Invoke with your phone, PC, or another device via Bluetooth. To enter pairing mode on your Invoke, shortly press the Bluetooth button, then find your Invoke (HK Invoke_XXXXXX) in your device’s Bluetooth settings. You will no longer need the Cortana App to listen to your favorite music, podcasts, and radio stations on your Invoke.
A: Signs you have received the update:
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When you press the Bluetooth button, you see three spinning white lights and hear a sound that lets you know it’s in pairing mode.
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There’s a blue light and no voice response when you tap the touch surface.
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There's no voice response when you say, "Hey Cortana."
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There's no red or white light when idle.
If you haven’t received the update (and your device is plugged in and not muted) Cortana will respond to “Hey Cortana” or when you tap the top of the device.
A: Unplug your device for at least one minute and then plug it back in. This should re-trigger the firmware update. Once it’s finished you will be able to connect to Bluetooth.
A: Even if this is the first time that you set up your Invoke, you can still receive the update for Bluetooth-only functionality. You must go through the initial Cortana setup for the update to come through. To set up your device see, Set up my Harman Kardon Invoke with Cortana.
A: If you change your Wi-Fi network name and password after you’ve received an update, the Invoke will permanently disconnect from your Wi-Fi network and the Invoke will not receive any further updates. Keep your Invoke connected to receive all the updates. Once your device is fully updated Wi-Fi will disable automatically. We expect Invokes to be fully updated by July 31, 2021, so please don't purposely disconnect your device from Wi-Fi before then.
A: If there’s a problem setting up your Invoke you can usually resolve the problem by resetting your device. You can find the reset instructions here, Set up my Harman Kardon Invoke with Cortana.
A: The gift card program ended on July 30, 2021. All gift cards that were not redeemed before this date have expired. Gift cards that were redeemed before July 30, 2021 must be spent within one year of the day they were redeemed. See full promotional gift card terms at Microsoft gift cards terms and conditions.
