At the moment, Microsoft only updates its browser with its operating system, meaning progress is slow and non-competitive. Internal sources have been hinting at a separation of the two, but it seems that rumor was false. Speaking to Neowin at Build 2017, a member of the Edge team admitted they have “no plans for unbundling right now, but never say never”.
A Bad Decision?
At the moment, its a bit of a mystery why Microsoft is sticking to its original choice. Browsers like Chrome, Firefox and Opera roll out tons of minor updates each year, staying competitive and mitigating security issues. Admittedly, Edge is supposed to be a simple browser. It’s not fun for users to update every time they boot their PC. However, the current bi-annual model leaves a lot to be desired. What’s more, the decision could hit users of the new Windows 10 S operating system particularly hard. Microsoft announced last week that users won’t be able to switch their default browser from Edge to a competitor. Doubtless, Microsoft has a good reason for the choice, but it’s still a little disappointing. Though there’s a good argument for infrequent but quality updates, compatibility could become a real issue. Personally, I hope the company will re-think its decision on Edge updates, but that doesn’t seem likely. The next browser changes will come with the Fall Creators Update and focus on security, performance, and reliability.
