14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has released Edge version 94 to the stable channel, and this moment marks the migration from a 6-week release cycle cadence to a 4-week model on all platforms.
In other words, Microsoft will release major new stable updates for Microsoft Edge every four weeks, a change that Google itself has also embraced for Google Chrome.
“For most users, this means receiving and enjoying our latest browser innovations on a more frequent basis. Organizations though might experience this change differently due to the complexities of testing, deployment, and maintenance,” Microsoft explains.
But very important to know, however, is that Microsoft is also introducing a so-called Extended Stable option that would allow users and IT administrators to install a stable version of Microsoft Edge that would be updated every 8 weeks.
“This means there isn’t a new browser application to deploy to use the “Extended Stable” release option—organizations can just select the release cycle option that is right for them. It’s like setting a recurring update for the Microsoft Edge stable application where a cumulative set of features will be delivered to the browser based on the selected release cycle,” the firm says.
New update available today
Users who opt for the Extended Stable channel will receive updates every two releases, so if you’re running Edge 94, the next update you’ll get is Edge 96 in eight weeks.
Needless to say, all the improvements that Microsoft has released in the meantime, including in Edge 95, which your systems would skip as part of the Extended Stable branch, will be included in the next release shipped to your computers.
“While feature updates will be packaged and delivered with new version releases based on the selected release cycle, important security patches and fixes will be delivered as needed independent of the selected release option to help maintain browser security,” Microsoft says.
Every 4-week stable update will be supported for 12 weeks, while Extended Stable updates will continue to be serviced for 16 weeks.