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This move is actually genius by Microsoft. They will negate the need to install Chrome on Windows. Microsoft will gain control of the browser market.

dmethvin 8y ago
I don't think they want control over the browser market, just the browser users on Windows. People are less likely to ditch Edge if it is more compatible with the way Chrome and Safari work (including the ability to run Chrome extensions). That means they have more visibility and control over those users.
- sys_64738 8y ago
  They’re also releasing Edge for Mac and Linux so sounds like they’re all in on their strategy.
krackers 8y ago
How so? I don't believe the layperson really cares all too much about the underlying engine, it's more a marketing thing. And the IE brand is forever tainted.
- sys_64738 8y ago
  Word of mouth. Ads. The media. Plenty of avenues will quickly frame why Installing Chrome is so yesterday.
eddieroger 8y ago
One of the linked posts spent a great deal of time differentiating between the browser interface and the engine itself. The average user doesn’t understand the difference, so being told “Edge is more like Chrome now” doesn’t actually make it Chrome for them. Other than tricking user agent checkers from putting up the inferior browser warning (is that still a thing?) this won’t stop people from using Edge to install Chrome.
culot 8y ago
I think Google will continue to have a headlock on the browser market via the forced-inclusion of Chrome (and the other 20 non-removable apps of theirs they force on you) on most all Android devices -- like Microsoft once had with IE on Windows. Mobile is the market, most people don't even own desktop computers nowadays.
scarface74 8y ago
Even if that is true. Gaining control of the “Windows desktop browsing market” is at best a Pyrrhic victory. 63% of all browsing is done on mobile. https://www.stonetemple.com/mobile-vs-desktop-usage-study/ https://www.stonetemple.com/mobile-vs-desktop-usage-study/
- sys_64738 8y ago
  Microsoft has already conceded the mobile space. They're doubling down on desktop dominance.
  - WorldMaker 8y ago
    If they were doubling down on desktop dominance they'd be doing something more interesting with Edge than conceding it to the competition. (Microsoft is doubling down on Azure and DevDiv, if anything.) This seems only to put the desktop at risk, especially with (EdgeHTML-powered) HTML+CSS+JS as the "third pillar" of the original Universal Windows Platform strategy, this only seems to further feed questions about Microsoft's overall confidence in UWP and thereby that middle word, Windows itself. This decision is directly showing a weak flank to "Chrome OS". What's to stop Chromebooks from attacking Windows for just being the junk drawer of old Win32 applications and games around a Chrome OS knockoff? There's certainly still a lot of value, especially in enterprise, invested in that "junk drawer", but is that enough any more? Yeah, there's just no way that this decision is doubling down on "desktop dominance".
    - scarface74 8y ago
      What's to stop Chromebooks from attacking Windows for just being the junk drawer of old Win32 applications and games around a Chrome OS knockoff? That’s all Windows has been for years. There hasn’t been anything interesting happening nor any serious money invested in writing PC software for well over a decade. The only non game companies making any money selling desktop software are Microsoft and Adobe.
      - WorldMaker 8y ago

dmethvin 8y ago

I don't think they want control over the browser market, just the browser users on Windows. People are less likely to ditch Edge if it is more compatible with the way Chrome and Safari work (including the ability to run Chrome extensions). That means they have more visibility and control over those users.

sys_64738 8y ago
They’re also releasing Edge for Mac and Linux so sounds like they’re all in on their strategy.

krackers 8y ago

How so? I don't believe the layperson really cares all too much about the underlying engine, it's more a marketing thing. And the IE brand is forever tainted.

sys_64738 8y ago
Word of mouth. Ads. The media. Plenty of avenues will quickly frame why Installing Chrome is so yesterday.

eddieroger 8y ago

One of the linked posts spent a great deal of time differentiating between the browser interface and the engine itself. The average user doesn’t understand the difference, so being told “Edge is more like Chrome now” doesn’t actually make it Chrome for them. Other than tricking user agent checkers from putting up the inferior browser warning (is that still a thing?) this won’t stop people from using Edge to install Chrome.

culot 8y ago

I think Google will continue to have a headlock on the browser market via the forced-inclusion of Chrome (and the other 20 non-removable apps of theirs they force on you) on most all Android devices -- like Microsoft once had with IE on Windows. Mobile is the market, most people don't even own desktop computers nowadays.

scarface74 8y ago

Even if that is true. Gaining control of the “Windows desktop browsing market” is at best a Pyrrhic victory. 63% of all browsing is done on mobile. https://www.stonetemple.com/mobile-vs-desktop-usage-study/ https://www.stonetemple.com/mobile-vs-desktop-usage-study/

sys_64738 8y ago
Microsoft has already conceded the mobile space. They're doubling down on desktop dominance.
- WorldMaker 8y ago
  If they were doubling down on desktop dominance they'd be doing something more interesting with Edge than conceding it to the competition. (Microsoft is doubling down on Azure and DevDiv, if anything.) This seems only to put the desktop at risk, especially with (EdgeHTML-powered) HTML+CSS+JS as the "third pillar" of the original Universal Windows Platform strategy, this only seems to further feed questions about Microsoft's overall confidence in UWP and thereby that middle word, Windows itself. This decision is directly showing a weak flank to "Chrome OS". What's to stop Chromebooks from attacking Windows for just being the junk drawer of old Win32 applications and games around a Chrome OS knockoff? There's certainly still a lot of value, especially in enterprise, invested in that "junk drawer", but is that enough any more? Yeah, there's just no way that this decision is doubling down on "desktop dominance".
  - scarface74 8y ago
    What's to stop Chromebooks from attacking Windows for just being the junk drawer of old Win32 applications and games around a Chrome OS knockoff? That’s all Windows has been for years. There hasn’t been anything interesting happening nor any serious money invested in writing PC software for well over a decade. The only non game companies making any money selling desktop software are Microsoft and Adobe.
    - WorldMaker 8y ago