The release notes also mention that Cortana now opens 20 percent faster:
What’s new:
Introducing a brand-new Cortana for iPad design. Enjoy an exclusive layout and interface for your iPad.
Cortana now launches 20% faster! Enjoy a lightning-fast experience.
Like rivals Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, Cortana is a digital assistant that can set reminders, schedule calendar appointments, respond to queries, and provide other information through machine learning techniques.
Apple only allows third-party assistants to function within their apps, however, limiting their usefulness versus Siri on iPhone and iPad. For example, Cortana can’t be invoked with a voice command when an iOS device is locked.
Nevertheless, iPad users now have one more assistant to choose from alongside Siri and Alexa. Cortana is available for free on the App Store.