14 DAY TRIAL // A slide that Microsoft presented during a session at Build 2016 revealed that the software giant might be rolling out its very own ad blocker for Edge, the default Windows 10 browser, which would be directly integrated into the app.
While this was fantastic news for users who wanted to block ads online without moving a single finger, it appears that the slide was just an error, and Microsoft is not building an ad blocker for Edge browser.
A company spokesperson has told us that “Microsoft is NOT building its own ad blocker features into Microsoft Edge” and that the slide displayed during Build was actually only information in reference to the work the company’s doing on extension support. AdBlock Plus will be one of the first extensions to bring Edge support, and this is how the confusion was created.
Without a doubt, bringing an ad blocker right into Microsoft Edge would only bring more criticism against the company from publishers and advertisers online, despite the fact that so many users have requested such a feature.
Ad blocking extensions will still be there
Fortunately, ad blockers will still be available for Microsoft Edge users in the form of extensions, and Redmond sees this as a win-win situation, as everybody gets what they wanted without actually upsetting anyone.
Ad blockers are often criticized by publishers who are turning to more aggressive methods of displaying ads to users. French newspapers have recently started cutting off access to their online versions for users who were running ad blockers, in an attempt to continue to monetize their traffic.
Extensions in Microsoft Edge are projected to arrive with the Redstone update, officially known as Anniversary Update, coming in the summer. They are already available for users participating in the Windows Insider program, but Microsoft continues working on this feature before the public launch due in just a few months.