Microsoft Replacing Edge With New Chromium-based Browser
Written by Mayank Parmar / Courtesy of Bleeping Computer
According to reports, Microsoft is abandoning development of Microsoft Edge and instead focusing on a new Chromium-based browser under the codename Anaheim.
Microsoft is said to be developing its own Chromium-based browser that will replace Microsoft edge in Windows 10. While it will be powered by the rendering engine which is currently used in other Chromium browsers and presumably support existing Chrome extensions, it will not include any Google services.
It has not been revealed if Microsoft will be changing the name of their browser from Edge to another name, but according to WindowsCentral who first reported on this new project, the internals will be a completely different package. Microsoft Edge currently utilizes a engine called EdgeHTML that has not been able to keep up with other browsers such as Chrome and Firefox.
By switching to the Chromium-based Blink engine, Microsoft will immediately be able to gain greater compatibility with current sites and ease development as new standards are created.
The latest market share report revealed that Microsoft Edge is having a hard time improving its global market share, as most PC users prefer Google Chrome. The figure also suggests that users are not very impressed with how Edge is evolving as the browser due to its performance and compatibility issues.
According to The Verge, the new Windows 10 browser could be announced this week and will see daylight in the upcoming Windows 10 19H1 update for the general public. This could mean we may see the new browser in soon-to-be released Insider builds.
This is good news for Windows users
This is a smart move on Microsoft’s part. One of the first things people I know do when they install a new computer is to install a different browser such as Chrome and Firefox.
Microsoft Edge has performance issues, compatibility issues, very basic settings, and does not offer a wide range of extensions like the other browsers. By switching to a Chromium-based router, they are now able to support thousands of quality browser extensions and immediately increase compatibility, while still retaining the Edge brand if they wish.
The only concern I have is that with the ability to run Chrome extension, Windows users will also be exposed to the endless amount of unwanted and malicious browser extensions that plague the Chrome ecosystem. I hope the Windows Defender team is up to the task.
Read the original article over at BleepingComputer.com.
