Google Chrome Browser is the king of all browsers but Microsoft is now asking questions with their new Microsoft Edge browser. Both browsers are running on the same Chromium platform. Recent upsurge in the use of the Microsoft Edge by internet users is creating concerns for Google.
The browsers are now facing each other in a marketing war. At the center, this struggle for competitive advantage spins around security and performance. Users of the Edge Browser are always shown a notice when they use any of the google services like gmail. The message says that “Google recommends using Chrome; try fast and secure browsers with updates built it”. So what does this mean?
The New Edge Browser?
The new Microsoft Edge is running on the Chromium open-source project. This Chromium also forms the framework of the popular Google Chrome. So it feels like the Google Chrome. The Edge browser comes with features normally found in Chrome, and supports Chrome browser extensions. It also has the same rendering engine as Google Chrome. Therefore, a web application designed for Chrome and failed in the old Edge, now works properly in the new One.
Like Google Chrome, the new version of Microsoft Edge will receive updates every six weeks. This update will not wait for any major version updates of Windows 10 released every six months.
Microsoft has always gone its own way in the web and App solutions. This time, they ditched the EdgeHtml rendering engine for Chromoium engine. Why?
“to create better web compatibility for our customers and less fragmentation of the web for all web developers.”
Joe Belfiore, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President of Windows
Why Chromium
Microsoft shocked the a lot of people when they announced replacing the EdgeHTML rendering engine with the Chromium rendering engine in December 2018. After all, Microsoft had always gone its own way with web browsers. Joe Belfiore, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President of Windows at the time, explained that Microsoft desired “to create better web compatibility for our customers and less fragmentation of the web for all web developers.”
What Google is doing
Google is giving Microsoft Edge users a scare with security warning. According to Windows Latest, Google may have quietly implemented user-agent sniffing on the Chrome web store. This tool appears to specifically target Microsoft’s new browser.
When users attempt to download Chrome extensions through the Microsoft Edge browser, they are being met by a warning that advises them that Google Chrome is a more secure option. Forbes says that many users have become concerned by the harshness of its response to Microsoft. Meanwhile, Google has been playing nicer with other browsers so far.
What next for users of Edge & Chrome?
Microsoft is a tech giant but Chrome’s dominance in the global browser market is worth fighting for. Google is prepared to fight hard to keep it that way. Nonetheless, Microsoft will respond and seem to be responding similarly to Google now.
Microsoft is recommending Chrome users to switch to the new browser. For example, Bing encourages Chrome users to download Edge. Windows 10’s Settings app says that the new browser is “recommended for Windows 10” and Edge Browser comes preloaded with Windows OS systems. Being the giant in OS and Office Apps, windows is taking advantage of this to sustain the browser war.
As Chrome and Edge are at each other’s throat, You can expect Safari and Firefox to look at other considerations to avoid stray bullets. Not Surprising, Mozilla is in the line of fire, too. Microsoft is already showing “suggestion” ads in Windows 10’s Start menu recommending Edge over Firefox.
Somehow, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
