14 DAY TRIAL // Internet Explorer will live on in Windows 10, but contrary to all the other Windows versions, the new one will come with two different browsers.
First of all, there'll be Internet Explorer, which will come with the exact same features and options as the one in Windows 8.1. Microsoft has even said that the Windows 8.1 IE version will remain unchanged in Windows 10, so the build we have right now is the one that'll also be part of the new OS.
Second of all, Microsoft will implement Spartan browser, a brand new app that will come with a new engine and fresh looks, helping the software giant better compete with rivals Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
Spartan will be offered as the default browser in Windows 10, but Internet Explorer will also be provided in order to tackle compatibility issues that might arise with company apps or services.
In a statement released today, the IE team explains that Internet Explorer won't be easily accessible and no shortcut will be placed on the desktop or on the taskbar. Instead, it's all about Spartan in Windows 10, so unless you absolutely need Internet Explorer, you won't come across it by mistake.
It will be removed completely at some point
Microsoft hasn't yet set a deadline for Internet Explorer's removal, but the company has said that, at some point, the existing browser will indeed go dark.
“We don't know; we expect a transition time as customers migrate off IE-specific tech but don't know how long it will take,” the Internet Explorer team writes.
“IE won't be pinned to the taskbar or to Start. You'll be able to find it in Windows Accessories,” it adds.
In other words, Internet Explorer will be there in Windows 10, but you won't even know it if you don't need a quick replacement for Spartan. The company could remove Internet Explorer for good with an update at some point in the future, but don't expect this to happen this year, as the transition period that Microsoft was talking about might take at least six months.