Microsoft has been working on the Chromium-based Edge browser for a long time. And thanks to all the beta releases in recent months, most of us are well aware of some of its most notable features and functionality.
Thankfully, it's all set to hit the stable build now, with the company officially starting the rollout today, January 15. Something that the company had originally confirmed at its Ignite 2019 conference in Florida last November.
Microsoft Edge Chromium arrives
According to a blog post from the Redmond giant over the weekend, the new version of Edge will be rolled out via Windows Update to all devices running Windows 10 Home and Pro Editions (version 1803).
Regular users will automatically receive the update. While business users will be able to opt out of the new browser, thanks to a "Blocking Toolkit" that will prevent automatic installation of Chromium-based Edge.
Originally conceived as a replacement for Internet Explorer for Windows, Microsoft Edge has become a popular web browser not only on desktop, but also on mobile platforms with over 10 million downloads on Android alone.
In recent months, the app has also gained a host of new features, such as dark mode support and ad blocking. And recently it even got a new Control Center that simplifies the browser customization process, by combining multiple configuration options under one roof.
The wait is almost over. A new browser experience is coming on January 15.
– Microsoft Edge Dev (@MSEdgeDev) January 13, 2020
The wait is almost over. A new browser experience is coming January 15th.
- Microsoft Edge Dev (@MSEdgeDev) January 13, 2020
As mentioned above, Microsoft had originally confirmed that its Chromium-based Edge browser will hit the stable channel on January 15 on Windows and macOS.
While the Linux version will only be available in the future. It will replace the previous Edge browser, which originally launched for Windows 10 in 2015 before rolling out to Android, iOS, and macOS in the following months.