Microsoft releases Edge browser for iPhone with roaming password, dark theme additions
Microsoft released its Edge mobile web browser for iOS on Thursday following a brief preview period, with the new browser aiming to provide Windows 10 users a 'continuous browsing experience' between their desktop and their iPhone.
Bearing the name of its Windows 10-based counterpart, the Edge browser for iOS is intended to make it as easy as possible to move from browsing on their mobile devices to a PC or vice versa. Similar to aspects of Apple's Continuity feature, the browser allows users to "continue on PC," synchronizing content viewed in the mobile browser with the PC.
Microsoft advises that the seamless content synchronization of "Continue on PC" requires the Windows 10 Fall Creator's Update in order to function.
The synchronization also includes other types of data that could be useful to users, including favorite links, and their reading list, keeping the data the same across multiple devices. A central Hub View collects these as well as the user's history and books in one place, theoretically making it easier for users to find and manage content.
The browser also includes a QR code reader, voice search, and a private browsing mode called "InPrivate," which does not retain items like the history, temporary Internet files, and cookies of a browsing session.
Two other additions have been made to Edge since it became available as part of a limited preview in October, with Microsoft enabling passwords to be shared between devices as part of its data synchronization function. Lastly, a dark theme has been added, giving an alternative appearance to the browser's user interface.
Microsoft Edge for iOS is available as a free download from the App Store in the United States and the United Kingdom, with versions for China and France including support for Simplified Chinese and French respectively. Weighing in at 121 megabytes, the app requires iOS 9.0 or later, and is compatible with all iPhones, iPads, and the iPod touch.
A version of the app is also available for Android, with a similar feature set.
Bearing the name of its Windows 10-based counterpart, the Edge browser for iOS is intended to make it as easy as possible to move from browsing on their mobile devices to a PC or vice versa. Similar to aspects of Apple's Continuity feature, the browser allows users to "continue on PC," synchronizing content viewed in the mobile browser with the PC.
Microsoft advises that the seamless content synchronization of "Continue on PC" requires the Windows 10 Fall Creator's Update in order to function.
The synchronization also includes other types of data that could be useful to users, including favorite links, and their reading list, keeping the data the same across multiple devices. A central Hub View collects these as well as the user's history and books in one place, theoretically making it easier for users to find and manage content.
The browser also includes a QR code reader, voice search, and a private browsing mode called "InPrivate," which does not retain items like the history, temporary Internet files, and cookies of a browsing session.
Two other additions have been made to Edge since it became available as part of a limited preview in October, with Microsoft enabling passwords to be shared between devices as part of its data synchronization function. Lastly, a dark theme has been added, giving an alternative appearance to the browser's user interface.
Microsoft Edge for iOS is available as a free download from the App Store in the United States and the United Kingdom, with versions for China and France including support for Simplified Chinese and French respectively. Weighing in at 121 megabytes, the app requires iOS 9.0 or later, and is compatible with all iPhones, iPads, and the iPod touch.
A version of the app is also available for Android, with a similar feature set.
Comments
I get why people use Chrome or Opera on iOS, but why would anyone choose to run Edge? I see no advantage...
My work phone is Android and, while I generally don't like much about the platform, this is one of those features fandroids always throw in our faces: "How can you use a platform where you can't change the default apps?" I'm personally fine with Safari as my browser, but I really wish I could redirect all mapping to either Google Maps or Waze.
Links based one, like in IE11 and other browsers is so much better.
Edge just feels unfinished.
This has to be more of a branding / marketing move than anything. I guess I can see some of the few corporations that still require IE or Edge for intranet tools to need this... I guess?? Maybe?
Now that they’re no longer forced to use MS Phone...
I’m sure Safari and Chrome are banned on their work machines, and they needed a way to get to the bookmarks.
Of course Microsoft won't mind if by giving the best Office365 experience via Edge, rather than other browsers, lazy users start to use Edge for all their browsing needs and not just for Office...
This makes a certain amount of sense, however I believe all of the Office365 apps are available natively on iOS and anyone would be foolish to use the web versions on a mobile device. But you're right - Microsoft has definitely done this in the past, creating the whole ActiveX control crap that only worked on IE (thankfully their refusal to honor web standards for years ended up backfiring on them finally). And there's that whole licensing Java and then creating Windows-specific APIs to try and remove platform independency. Thankfully Sun prevailed on that one...