Microsoft has released the first preview version of its new Edge Web browser built on top of Chromium, the open-source technology that underpins browsers such as Google’s Chrome and Vivaldi.
In a statement on Monday evening, Microsoft said the preview release is now available for download on PCs running 64-bit versions of the Windows 10 operating system.
The move by the software giant is an attempt to claw back browser market share lost to Chrome. Because it’s built on Chromium, the new Edge browser will run many of the software plug-ins designed for the market-leading Chrome browser. It should also provide greater website compatibility.
“We’d like you to be among the first to try out what we’ve been working on. We’re proud of our progress so far, but we still have a lot of work to do,” Microsoft said.
“Keep in mind, these early builds can be run on any 64-bit version of Windows 10 without impacting your current browsing experience — and the current Microsoft Edge browser will continue to be included in Windows 10 Insider Preview builds,” the company said.
The preview release of the Chromium-based Edge browser can be downloaded here. — (c) 2019 NewsCentral Media