Microsoft Edge, the web browser that replaced Internet Explorer with the
release of Windows 10, has been given a dramatic overhaul in the last year
or so to be rebuilt on the same Chromium source code that Google Chrome is
based on. Today, the new version of Microsoft Edge, based on Google's
Chromium, has been officially launched on Windows and macOS.
Late in 2018, Microsoft confirmed
<https://9to5google.com/2018/12/06/microsoft-confirms-chromium-edge/>
rumors that the company was rebuilding its Edge browser on Chromium, the
open source base for Google Chrome. At the time, the reason given was for
Edge to be able to offer "improved compatibility" over the existing EdgeHTML
browser engine. The announcement put Microsoft Edge in league with other
Chromium-based browsers like Vivaldi and Brave.
After over a year of development work and public beta tests, Microsoft, via
<https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/15/21066767/microsoft-edge-chromium-new-bro
wser-windows-mac-download-os> The Verge, is formally launching
<https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge> the new Microsoft Edge based on
Chromium. While Microsoft Edge, in its original form, was originally
exclusive to Windows 10, rebuilding on Chromium has helped open the browser
to more platforms. Today, you can download Microsoft Edge for macOS and all
current versions of Windows.
Even a version for Windows 7 is available, despite the fact that Windows 7
reached End of Life earlier this week. No doubt, this is thanks to Google's
own commitment to support Google Chrome on Windows 7
<https://9to5google.com/2020/01/09/chrome-windows-7-support/> until July
2021.
These additional desktop platforms follow the work already done to bring
Microsoft Edge to Android and iOS. On those platforms, Edge uses the
platform's preferred/required browser engine with a layer of additional
Microsoft features like sync.
If for whatever reason, you're a fan of Chrome but not Google, Microsoft
Edge may be the browser for you. The two browsers have a great deal in
common including the ability to sync your browsing history and more between
devices. One key difference is that you're trusting Microsoft with that
information instead of Google. The similarities even run deeper than that,
with the new Microsoft Edge being able to use nearly all of the same
extensions that Google Chrome can use. Unfortunately, that also means that
Microsoft Edge will be affected by the upcoming controversial changes to how
Chrome extensions can and cannot work, collectively known as Manifest V3
<https://9to5google.com/2019/05/29/chrome-ad-blocking-enterprise-manifest-v3
/> .
Where Edge sets itself apart from Chrome is in its built-in tracking
protections that help you maintain privacy by default and handy features
like Collections that let you handily organize images and pages from the
web. As of today, Edge is an optional program you can choose to download
and install, just like any other alternative browser like Chrome or Firefox.
What will give Microsoft's new browser some stopping power is when the new
Edge becomes the default built-in browser for Windows 10.
Verge notes that OEMs have already been given the new Edge, meaning new
Windows 10 devices should begin appearing with Edge pre-installed. By giving
users a competent cross-platform browser out of the box, there's a chance
people may no longer feel the need to immediately install Chrome, as the
jokes go <https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/1230158-what-is-my-purpose> .
Additionally, over the next few months, Microsoft will slowly push this new
version of Edge to Windows 10 users via Windows Update. This rollout will
happen in gradual stages until a full, wider release happens in the summer.
By Kyle Bradshaw at:
www.9to5mac.com
