Internet Explorer is finally on its way out. Microsoft's new browser, which was known as Project Spartan until now, has finally been given a real name — Edge.
Microsoft Edge will be the only browser that comes pre-installed on Windows Phone devices, and users will be able to install Edge or Internet Explorer on other Windows devices such as laptops and desktop computers.
Edge is different from Internet Explorer in a number of ways. Users have grown to expect Internet browsers to be able to handle extensions and even do things like take phone calls. As user expectations changed, Internet Explorer did not change — leading users to turn to the likes of Google Chrome.
"Project Spartan is our future: it is the default browser for all Windows 10 customers and will provide unique user experiences including the ability to annotate on Web pages, a distraction-free reading experience, and integration of Cortana for finding and doing things online faster," said Microsoft in a March blog post, back when Edge was still being called Project Spartan.
"Web developers can expect Project Spartan's new engine to be interoperable with the modern Web and remain 'evergreen' with no document modes or compatibility views introduced going forward."
Edge will also include Cortana, Microsoft's personal assistant, which will learn the user's browsing habits over time and offer suggestions based on those browsing habits. The latest updates to the browser include a new layout for new tabs, creating a home page that includes links and thumbnails to websites frequently visited by the user.
The "E" of "Edge" permits the company to adopt a similar logo to that of Internet Explorer, retaining some familiarity. As expected, popular Chrome and Firefox extensions will also show up for Edge and many of the same extensions can be used on Edge with a few minor tweaks.
For those who want to use Edge as soon as possible, the latest version of Windows 10 Technical Preview is required, as that is where the pre-release of Edge will first appear.
Windows 10 itself is likely to become Microsoft's most popular operating system to date, and the company has even announced that it will be a free upgrade to those running Windows 7 or 8. By 2018, Microsoft wants to have more than 1 billion devices running Windows 10, which would make Edge the most popular Internet browser by far.
