14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is betting big on Edge browser in the fight against third-party solutions like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, but it’s no secret that the new Windows 10 default has a hard time getting closer to its rivals.
According to information offered by NetMarketShare, Microsoft Edge was only the fourth most popular desktop browser in May this year, with a share of just 4.26 percent. For comparison, Google Chrome was the leading choice with 62.85 percent, while Internet Explorer, which is no longer getting new features, was the runner-up with 11.82 percent. Firefox was third with 9.92 percent.
And while Microsoft Edge isn’t considered a worthy alternative to Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, there’s no doubt that the browser improved significantly since it first rolled out in July 2015.
As the new default Windows 10 browser, Microsoft Edge comes pre-installed, and despite the rather aggressive Microsoft push, which often involved ads and popups displayed on users’ desktop, many users launch it just once after installing the operating system in order to download Google Chrome.
But even though it’s behind its rivals, it doesn’t mean that Microsoft Edge isn’t a worthy alternative. It has extensions, with most developers already making their add-ons compatible, and features a fast and secure engine that Microsoft often says is clearly better than third-party ones.
And yet, one of the biggest problems for Microsoft Edge is that it’s trailing behind its rivals simply because it receives updates at a much slower pace.
Despite offering Edge as a universal app, the browser isn’t updated through the Microsoft Store. Instead, Microsoft Edge receives updates twice each year as part of new Windows 10 feature updates. This schedule involves one release in the spring and another one in the fall.
Truth be told, each of these new updates brings substantial improvements to Microsoft Edge, but when compared to an update model that involves monthly releases, it’s pretty clear where the problem actually resides. Let’s take Google Chrome as an example.
“Google Chrome winning 3:1 in terms of updates.”
Microsoft Edge was last updated on April 30 when Microsoft officially shipped the Windows 10 April 2018 Update and will receive more new features in the fall, most likely in October when Redstone 5 hits the production channel.
Google Chrome, on the other hand, was updated to version 66 on April 18, 12 days before Microsoft published the Windows 10 April 2018 Update. Chrome 67 followed on May 29, and now Chrome 68 is projected to launch on July 24. Eventually, Chrome 69 will see daylight on September 4.
This means that by the time Microsoft Edge receives a new feature update, Google Chrome gets at least three different releases, all of which could bring changes and improvements to the browser. In the meantime, Microsoft Edge would only get security updates on Patch Tuesdays and bug fixes as part of Windows 10 cumulative updates.
There’ve been rumors that Microsoft could change this update model by bringing the browser to the Microsoft Store, an approach that would eventually allow the company to ship improvements at a much faster pace. But as it turns out, this has never been a priority for the software giant, as for some reason this twice-per-year release schedule makes much more sense in the long term.
Microsoft, on the other hand, isn’t willing to give up on the browser fight, so sooner or later, pushing the browser to the Microsoft Store could still happen. It remains to be seen if this strategy can help the company get closer to Mozilla and Google in the desktop browser market, but for the time being, it’s pretty clear that the existing approach isn’t helping much in this regard.
