14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is in a rush to update its Mac software with support for Apple Silicon, and today the company is announcing that Edge browser is fully optimized for the M1 chip.
In other words, Microsoft Edge runs natively on Apple M1 devices, though for the time being, only the Canary build comes with such support.
However, it’s now just a matter of time until the stable build is also natively supported on Apple Silicon, with Microsoft working around the clock to make it happen.
“You asked, and we delivered! Native support for Mac ARM64 devices is now available in our Canary channel. Download it today from our Microsoft Edge Insiders website!” Microsoft explains in a tweet posted only a few hours ago.
The Chromium-based browser
Microsoft is working hard to make Microsoft Edge one of the best browsers on the market, and the transition to the Chromium engine, the same one powering Google Chrome, allowed the company to expand the availability of the app beyond the Windows 10 ecosystem.
So right now, the new Edge can run not only on Windows 10, but also on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, macOS, and Linux.
At the same time, Microsoft is trying to improve the experience with its Chromium-based browser using ideas that were initially bundled with its predecessor. The legacy version of Microsoft Edge is still included in Windows 10, but it’s obviously a second-class citizen, as Microsoft has made the new browser the default choice on the system.
Apple’s devices obviously come with Safari pre-loaded, but Microsoft is betting big on Edge on Mac computers, no matter if they’re powered by Intel or Apple chips.
You can download the new browser for Apple Silicon from Microsoft’s Insider page, but keep in mind only the Canary build is available for now.