More subtle changes spotted in Microsoft Edge

Oct 11, 2019 09:03 GMT  ·  By

Not a long time ago, it was rumored that Microsoft wanted to move from the sharp corners in Windows 10 and its apps to a rounded approach, a new design idea which users out there received with mixed reactions.

While some liked the departure from the Metro-based user interface, others criticized Microsoft for going for a design that reminds too much of Apple’s macOS.

Microsoft itself appears to be experimenting with several ideas, and more recently, it made some subtle changes in the preview versions of the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser that replaces the rounded corners with ones that are not so… rounded.

Spotted by reddit user Leopeva64-2 in the latest Microsoft Edge Canary build, the changes concern the rounded corners of the omnibox and the InPrivate mode indicator, both of which have given up on the rounded corners for a more classic approach.

Still experimenting

Of course, given this is just the Canary build of Microsoft Edge, it doesn’t mean that the software giant is ready to fully embrace this design approach, albeit it’s pretty clear that Microsoft wants to further polish its ideas before choosing one.

And this is without a doubt the correct way to go, especially because the Canary build of Microsoft Edge is first and foremost supposed to be used by testers who can then submit valuable feedback.

Microsoft doesn’t yet have a release date, but the software giant is working at full speed on getting it ready in the coming months, possibly in early 2020. The company has already released Canary, Dev, and Beta builds of Microsoft Edge, and the stable build could be part of Windows 10 20H1 due in the spring.

The same feature update could also introduce more subtle design changes here and there, included the rounded corners, albeit for the time being, it just looks like Microsoft is still trying to find the correct approach and only then make a final decision on it.