- Microsoft is testing a brand new banner message in Edge
- Its goal is cease folks downloading Google Chrome
- The message highlights Edge’s security measures
Microsoft seems to be getting much more heavy-handed in its makes an attempt to cease Home windows 11 customers downloading Google Chrome, with a brand new pop-up showing for some folks in Edge, Microsoft’s rival web browser, making an attempt to persuade folks to stay with its product by highlighting its security measures.
As Home windows Report… uh… studies, a brand new banner has appeared for some Home windows 11 customers who use the Edge browser, which is put in by default, to go to Google’s Chrome obtain web page. The brand new pop-up suggests you could “Shield your privateness and safety with Microsoft Edge,” after which highlights personal looking, password monitoring, and superior menace protection as explanation why you’d need to follow Edge.
In case you click on on the ‘Browse securely now’ button, Edge will open a web page from Microsoft’s web site that goes into additional particulars concerning the browser’s on-line security options.
Previous recreation, new guidelines
This isn’t the primary time Microsoft has used techniques like this to attempt to persuade folks to stay with Edge. Many individuals, myself included, who get a brand new Home windows 11 PC will typically open up Edge for the primary and final time merely to obtain Chrome. Regardless of Edge having the benefit of coming pre-installed in Home windows 11, it stays a moderately unloved net browser, and we not too long ago reported on the way it’s truly misplaced customers, with simply 10.37% of the net browser market in comparison with Chrome’s 73.81% share.
That is clearly irritating for Microsoft, which to be honest has labored exhausting on enhancing Edge, therefore the brand new push to maintain folks utilizing its net browser. What’s noticeable about its newest nag is that it focuses on on-line security and the way sticking with Edge can increase your safety.
Now, whereas I don’t agree with its strategies (extra of that in a bit), I believe it is a sensible determination by Microsoft. Earlier pop-ups leant extra closely on how Edge compares to Chrome, and highlights the truth that they each use the identical Chromium net engine (which powers the browsers). I don’t assume there are a lot of common customers of Home windows 11 who care about net engines, and making an attempt to win over customers by saying how related your product is to your primary competitor’s isn’t a really thrilling approach to promote one thing.
On-line safety is a a lot greater concern for lots of people, so I can see the logic with switching focus like this – however will it do something to stem the tide of Home windows 11 customers dropping Edge for Chrome? I don’t assume so.
The one time I need Microsoft to repeat Apple
I’ve been getting more and more pissed off with Microsoft’s makes an attempt to cease me from utilizing Chrome on my Home windows 11 laptop computer. Whereas Chrome is way from good, and I’ve my very own reservations about Google as an organization, there’s a motive why I (and thousands and thousands of others) need to use Chrome over different net browsers.
So, once I load up Edge on a brand new PC or recent set up of Home windows 11, and kind ‘Chrome’ into the Bing search engine, it’s not a mistake, and I don’t recognize Microsoft placing an enormous ‘All you want is correct right here’ banner that claims ‘Microsoft Edge runs on the identical expertise as Chrome, with the added belief of Microsoft’ that seems above the web page I’m truly searching for.
Placing apart that ‘with the added belief of Microsoft’ is nonsense (what does it even imply, and the way might you quantify that?), it comes throughout as determined. The truth that one other pop-up seems once you lastly get to the Chrome obtain web page simply deepens that sense of desperation, and mockingly makes me much more decided to put in Chrome and by no means return to Edge, regardless of how good the browser is as of late.
The factor is, I do precisely the identical when reviewing a brand new Mac system. I open up Safari, Apple’s default net browser, and go to the Chrome obtain web page and set up Google’s net browser. The distinction is that Apple doesn’t nag me about sticking with Safari – there are not any annoying pop-ups or notifications pleading with me to remain, and altering the default net browser to Safari in macOS can also be very straightforward, in contrast to in Home windows 11.
The outcomes are the identical – I ditch the built-in net browser for Chrome – however I don’t really feel exasperated and irritated by Apple, in comparison with Microsoft’s makes an attempt.
So, whereas I perceive Microsoft’s change to speaking about on-line security, the truth that it’s nonetheless utilizing heavy-handed strategies and exploiting its benefit by having Edge and its search engine Bing, being the default, continues to bother me.
That’s earlier than I even get to the truth that a number of the options Microsoft hypes up, similar to InPrivate looking, password monitoring and malicious content material blocker, are additionally obtainable in Chrome and different net browsers.
In the mean time, this new pop-up seems to be in testing by Microsoft, so that you won’t see it for those who attempt to obtain Chrome. Nevertheless, whether it is profitable, be ready to see it pop up extra typically.
However what if, as I believe, it isn’t profitable in getting folks to cease utilizing Edge simply to put in Chrome? Somewhat than treating its customers like adults and going the Apple route, I concern Microsoft will get much more aggressive with its nagging. Let’s hope I’m flawed.
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