Microsoft is bringing its Internet Explorer successor to macOS for the first time.
The company revealed in a blog post that it had been working on a macOS version of the Edge browser, the successor to Internet Explorer, alongside a fully rebuilt Windows version.
Microsoft has been building a new browser built upon the open-source Chromium rendering engine that is used by Google Chrome, though it differs in that Google will have no input and users’ browsing history will not be shared with third parties, something Microsoft was keen to promote, likely a key selling point when the new version of the browser is officially released.
The preview build for the new Edge browser was issued on Windows last month, but so far the macOS version has been billed as ‘coming soon’.
One Reddit user, however, found a link to a canary version of the new Edge browser (meaning it’s still in development and things may change), and The Verge added that a macOS version is coming “very soon”.
Microsoft’s Internet Explorer was the default browser on the Mac from 1998 to 2003, before Apple released Safari.
The company since released Windows Office products for the Mac, but the browser’s return marks a new step for Microsoft, which is focusing more on its services and software rather than hardware as it tries to stabilize its market share in these changing technological times.
Privacy at the forefront
What sets Microsoft Edge apart from competitors is that data is hidden from public view. The browser includes a privacy dashboard that allows users to choose from clearly labeled levels of information sharing, which protects users and reduces exposure to third-party tracking.
Internet Explorer Mode
For business customers, an Internet Explorer mode allows IE11 compatibility on Microsoft Edge for internal sites without having to compromise on performance or security. Rather than requiring two browsers or running an outdated and unsafe browser, Microsoft’s new solution is to render legacy IE-only content in high fidelity inside of Microsoft Edge.
Will you be trying the Microsoft Edge browser when it comes to the Mac? Let us know on Twitter using @AppleMagazine, and check back soon for more news, every day of the week.
