Microsoft Edge: Internet Explorer Reloaded With Elegant Look

With Windows 10, Microsoft has upgraded its Internet Explorer with Microsoft Edge which offers new ways to find “stuff” and allows to “read and write” on the web. Although not perfect yet, it is a major improvement over the previous version of the web browser and has a prettier design and exciting new features, TechnoBuffalo reported.

Google Chrome, which is extensively used for web browsing purposes, is a tough competitor for Microsoft Edge. Another popular name in the segment is Mozilla Firefox. Microsoft acknowledges this competition and in the latest Windows 10 preview –with build number 10568, it has introduced a new prompt “Give Microsoft Edge a Shot”, which appears when users attempt to switch to other web browsers.

The prompt lists the unique features of Microsoft Edge, that include – write on webpages and share your ideas; read distraction free with reading view; get answers in the browser from Cortana, your personal assistant (where available).  Further, it has a big and bold option to "Don't switch and try it now," which opens Edge and doesn't let the user set a rival browser like Chrome or Firefox as the default.

The users who are keen to make the switch to other web browsers have the option of “Switch Anyway”.

The move is definitely going to anger the competitors and in one such instance, Mozilla CEO Chris Beard summarized the company’s concerns in an open letter back in July to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Beard says that the Windows 10 update seems to have been designed to “throw away” the choice of users regarding the Internet experience they want and replace it with what Microsoft wants them to have.

Although it’s still technically possible to preserve people’s previous settings and defaults, he argues that the design of the whole upgrade experience and the default settings APIs have been changed to make this less obvious and more difficult.

“With the launch of Windows 10 we are deeply disappointed to see Microsoft take such a dramatic step backwards”, he added.

The Verge reports that Microsoft seems to be following the same route for photo and music apps, too. If users attempt to switch defaults then a similar dialog box appears to try and convince them to stick with the built-in photos or Groove Music apps.