Microsoft is building a Chromium-powered web browser that will replace Edge on Windows 10

[Karlston]

Microsoft's Edge web browser has seen little success since its debut on Windows 10 back in 2015. Built from the ground up with a new rendering engine known as EdgeHTML, Microsoft Edge was designed to be fast, lightweight, and secure, but launched with a plethora of issues which resulted in users rejecting it early on. Edge has since struggled to gain any traction, thanks to its continued instability and lack of mindshare, from users and web developers.

Because of this, I'm told that Microsoft is throwing in the towel with EdgeHTML and is instead building a new web browser powered by Chromium, a rendering engine first popularized by Google's Chrome browser. Codenamed Anaheim, this new web browser for Windows 10 will replace Edge as the default browser on the platform.

 

It's unknown at this time if Anaheim will use the Edge brand or a new brand, or if the user interface between Edge and Anaheim is different. One thing is for sure, however; EdgeHTML in Windows 10's default browser is dead.

 

 

Many will be happy to hear that Microsoft is finally adopting a different rendering engine for the default web browser on Windows 10. Using Chromium means websites should behave just like they do on Google Chrome in Microsoft's new Anaheim browser, meaning users shouldn't suffer from the same instability and performance issues found in Edge today. This is the first step towards revitalizing Windows 10's built-in web browser for users across PC and phone. Edge on iOS and Android already use rendering engines native to those platforms, so not much will be changing on that front.

 

Microsoft engineers were recently spotted committing code to the Chromium project, further suggesting that Microsoft is working on its own Chromium powered browser for Windows 10.

 

I expect we'll see Microsoft introduce Anaheim throughout the 19H1 development cycle, which Insiders are currently testing in the Fast ring. This is a big deal for Windows and is one that I'm sure many people will be happy about. Microsoft's own web browser will finally be able to compete alongside Chrome, Opera and Firefox, and those who are all in with the Microsoft ecosystem will finally be getting a browser from Microsoft that works well when browsing the web.

 

There's still lots we don't know about Anaheim, and I'm sure we'll hear about it officially from Microsoft in the coming weeks. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.

 

Source: Microsoft is building a Chromium-powered web browser that will replace Edge on Windows 10 (Windows Central - Zac Bowden)

[BimBamSmash]

I am not sure what they are hoping to achieve. Chrome is largely popular because of the positive word of mouth. Many users likely can't tell what sets Chromium apart from EdgeHTML.

[gvv]

So long Edge – Microsoft to replace Edge with Chromium-based browser

 

We speculated recently on how long the increasingly ruthless Microsoft would keep supporting Edge, which has a low single-digit desktop market share.

According to some news which has wafted over from the WC, it seems the answer is not too long anymore.

 

They report that Microsoft is working on replacing the EdgeHTML rendering engine with a Chromium-based rendering engine as used by Google Chrome, Opera and Safari, which should result in a more compatible web browser with less work to maintain.

 

Code-named Anaheim, the browser is set to hit the Insider track early next year, in time for 19H1, and will eventually completely replace Edge.

 

Microsoft is already using Chromium for their Edge for Android browser, and moving to Chromium would save resources and should mean Microsoft will be able to support extensions written for Chrome. The bigger issue would be the shell of the browser, however. EdgeHTML already offers a smoother experience on Windows 10 than Chrome, but suffers from extreme immaturity, offering fewer options for most users that even Internet Explorer, meaning any serious user will be using Chrome sooner rather than later.

 

Would switching to Chromium make more of our readers consider the new Microsoft browser, or is the shell of the browser a bigger problem? Let us know below.

 

Source.

[DKT27]

@gvv: Topic merged and source added to the post.

[steven36]

Only Chromium browser that were  successful  is Google Chrome many have tired and failed to even become relevant in the marketshare . There is like a 100  Chromium forks  out there already and none are no better  than open source Chromium. Only reason Google Chrome became a success was they  the worlds biggest ad company and had better advertising than everywhere else you use  another browser on Google search they ask you do you want to install Chrome . You install some freeware like Avast free they ask you do you want to install Chrome .  There like Ford  15 different cars all running on the same engine,   change the body style and put a fresh coat of  paint on it and call it new even though it runs the same as the others.. Its all cosmetic .

 

Before  Google  invented  Chrome  and other browsers made money from harvesting data   when they was just a few  and most people only knew of  IE ,  the trick was to try to get you to install toolbars with spyware  ASK , Goggle, Yahoo , etc  . Only thing changed now the browsers themselves  are the spyware.  When IE  was on Top for many years  the others were very desperate.  Now the tides have changed and  Microsoft are  very desperate.