Windows 10 update will ditch the old Edge for the new browser
Out with the old, in with the new
Microsoft has slowly been rolling out its new Chromium-based Edge browser to users, and now it's ready to complete the transition.
When update 20H2 is released later this year, it will update the old version of Edge to the new Chromium-based Edge, making it the default browser for Windows 10 (via The Verge).
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The update went into testing today but we don't know what other features Microsoft is planning. The only bit of info the company shared is that it “will have a faster installation experience because the update will install like a monthly update."
We wouldn't be surprised if update 20H2 focused on refinements rather than significant changes to Windows 10. The May 2020 update, the first "major" release of 2020, was a minor one compared with updates from previous years.
Windows 10 updates have shipped with countless bugs in recent years so it would make sense for Microsoft to focus on the stability of its OS rather than packing in as many features as possible and spending months ironing out the bugs. Microsoft typically releases two major updates each year, one in May and one in November. It's possible the 20H2 update will be the November release.
Even if the new Edge is the highlight of this update, it would be a significant upgrade for users. I've been using the new Edge browser since it entered beta, and the differences between it and the old browser are night and day. Running on the Chromium engine that powers Chrome, Edge is very similar to its Google-made rival except it doesn't eat your RAM.
If you're currently a Chrome user and are considering making the switch, read our guide on how to import Chrome bookmarks and extensions to Edge. If you're not sold on Edge just yet, see our Edge vs Chrome face-off; You might be surprised by which browser wins.
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Phillip Tracy is the assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag where he reviews laptops, phones and other gadgets while covering the latest industry news. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Phillip became a tech reporter at the Daily Dot. There, he wrote reviews for a range of gadgets and covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity. Prior to that, he wrote for RCR Wireless News covering 5G and IoT. When he's not tinkering with devices, you can find Phillip playing video games, reading, traveling or watching soccer.