14 DAY TRIAL // As many people know already, Microsoft has decided to rebuild its Windows browser using Chromium, the same engine that powers Google Chrome.
And while the transition from EdgeHTML has left many disappointed, including Mozilla, switching to Chromium was something that allowed Microsoft to turn Edge into a cross-platform browser expanding beyond the world of Windows.
So right now, Edge is available on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and macOS, and a Linux version is also in the works. Technically, anyone running one of these operating systems can download the browser manually and install it on their devices.
On Windows 10, however, things are a little bit different.
The new Edge replaces the old Edge as the default browser on Windows 10. Therefore, Microsoft does allow users to manually install the browser, but at the same time, it also pushes it via Windows Update to those who don’t do it.
While for many this is considered a forced update, it’s not, and I explained why in detail in this article. Basically, as long as Microsoft provides users with the necessary means to block this update, it really can’t be considered a forced update.
But on the other hand, Microsoft is going a little bit too far with its aggressive marketing push that’s supposed to convince users to try out the new Edge browser.
First and foremost, there are ads in the Start menu. While Microsoft calls them “suggestions” or “recommendations,” some users are provided with a message in the Start menu that prompts them to give the new Edge a try.
“Still using Firefox? Microsoft Edge is here,” this message reads.
Then, it’s a similar effort triggered when searching for Chrome or Firefox in Windows 10. When this happens, Windows 10 does display the expected result, but in addition to the said browsers, it also shows a “Recommended” entry that points to the new Microsoft Edge browser. This is obviously an attempt to steer users away from rival browsers and push more and more people towards the new Edge.
Microsoft is moving beyond the world of Windows to convince people to install Edge. Bing, for example, uses its search results page for the same thing, and this time, it’s getting a little bit ridiculous, as no less than three different “recommendations” are displayed when searching for another browser.
One of them, which comes in the form of a banner at the bottom of the screen, looks more like adware, and Microsoft itself has promised to look into the whole thing for a cleaner experience.
The other two come down to a “Promote by Microsoft” result that shows up at the top of the results and a smaller link in the top right corner called “Get the new Microsoft Edge.” With a simple mouse hover (not a click!), this link launches a popup that reads “The new Microsoft Edge was built to bring you the best of the web.” Clicking yes in this screen gets users to the Edge download page.
While right now nobody knows for sure if this aggressive strategy works, there’s a chance that it backfires too. Many users seem to be rather angry with the company continuously insisting for the new browser, so some end up blocking the new Edge on Windows 10 entirely.
What’s even more odd is that some of these “recommendations” show up even for users who are already running Microsoft Edge. So this unexpectedly-aggressive push keeps happening no matter if you surrender or not. And without a doubt, Microsoft must stop this madness right now.