Microsoft has ramped things up a bit more as it appears to be facing Chrome in the browser war, with a ton of new features coming as part of the latest Edge update.
Microsoft has just announced that many new features have come to Edge 84, and others will come. … [+]
Microsoft’s new and improved Edge browser has dropped new features quickly and grossly in recent months as it seems to rival Google Chrome in the browser war. Until now, Microsoft has had some success, it is now number two for Chrome, but there is still a long way to go before it can truly exceed the market share of the browser created by Google.
That could change soon, as Microsoft has just announced that many new features have come to Edge 84, and others will be coming soon.
What’s new?
Improvements to collections and PDF readers
With work at home as the new norm, many people and businesses are looking for a safe and functional Chrome alternative. One of the most interesting updates is the Edge Collections feature, which now has significant performance improvements. It also adds a new note ability that allows you to add a note to an item in a collection and change the background color.
Microsoft’s browser is also getting a read aloud feature for PDF files, something it could get in the old Edge, and PDF file editing has been improved.
Other features include a Storage Access API, which helps ensure that websites can continue to function when users’ privacy settings block access to some types of content, and some updates from DevTool.
And soon, Edge will make it easier for users to control their privacy. This week, Microsoft added a new setting to the internal version of Edge Canary, indicating that it will hit all users soon: the ability to “Always use ‘strict’ tracking prevention when browsing InPrivate.”
Edge v Chrome in security and privacy
Privacy and security are a key battle in browser wars as users become increasingly aware of what happens to their data. This is even more important since people work from home during the pandemic, and Edge has known this by releasing recent feature updates.
But there are some obstacles to Edge being seen as a privacy-based browser. A few months ago Edge was criticized for privacy breaches, and its move to bring the browser to Windows has upset some users.
Meanwhile, Chrome recently introduced new features to help address user concerns about security and privacy.
But a new report from NSS Labs actually saw Microsoft Edge beat Chrome on security bets. Because it uses Microsoft Defender SmartScreen, Edge was found to offer the best protection against phishing compared to the other tested browsers, blocking 95.5% of phishing URLs. Google, which uses the Safe Browsing API, ranked second with 86.9%.
As the Microsoft-focused site OnMsft reports, another separate report from NSS Labs shows how Edge also has better malware protection than rivals Chrome, Firefox, and Opera. Microsoft Edge blocks 98.5% of malware, while Firefox second blocks an average of 86.1%, followed by Google Chrome with 86.0%.
Chrome v Edge battle is good for users
Certainly, things are heating up, and the battle for security between browser providers is good for users, says Sean Wright, SME application security leader at Immersive Labs. He thinks Microsoft “has been doing a fantastic job providing security for its users, “citing Windows Defender as an example.
“We are finally reaching a point where security is no longer an afterthought, but a fundamental part of a product or service. This can only be a benefit to users. “
I agree, and the fact that Microsoft’s open source Edge is based on the same Chromium engine means that you get many of the same features as Chrome. If you care about your privacy and security, there are other alternatives, like Firefox or Brave, but I also recommend trying Edge.
