With the launch of Windows 10, Microsoft also introduced a new browser in the form of Edge. This is clearly Microsoft trying to distance themselves from the stigma that was Internet Explorer, and in all fairness Microsoft has done a great job with Edge. The browser is smooth and speedy and gets the job done, although it does lack some features at the moment.
It also seems that Microsoft really, really wants users to use the browser because in the recently announced Windows 10 S, Microsoft will be making Edge the default browser and this is something you can’t do anything about. In the FAQ on Windows 10 S, Microsoft states that users can download alternative browsers, although Edge will always remain the default browser regardless of what you use.
According to Microsoft, “You are able to download another browser that might be available from the Windows Store, but Microsoft Edge will remain the default if, for example, you open an .htm file.” What this means that if you receive a link in a chat, or a link in your email client that isn’t a browser, it will open in Edge instead of whatever browser you typically use.
It also seems that in addition to making Edge the default browser, Microsoft will be making Bing the default search engine and apparently cannot be changed. While it is pretty obvious that Microsoft wants to lock you into its ecosystem, wasn’t this the legal issue with Internet Explorer that landed Microsoft in hot water a couple of decades ago?
Filed in . Read more about Apps, Edge, Microsoft, Windows and Windows 10.