Roger Fingas
Microsoft on Thursday launched a preview version of its Edge Web browser for the iPhone, intended to let Windows 10 users move more seamlessly between desktop and mobile.
A key feature in this regard is "continue on PC," which much like Apple's Continuity (or Pushbullet) lets people push a webpage from the mobile version of Edge to the desktop. At the moment, PCs must be running the Windows 10 Fall Creator's Update Insider Preview.
The iPhone app also carries over Windows features like the Hub, Reading List, and Reading View, and will eventually sync both passwords and favorites between devices. The current preview is missing roaming passwords as well as iPad compatibility, and is moreover limited to English-speaking U.S. residents. Improved support is promised as the software develops, including tab sync as a longer-term goal.
Other built-in tools include a QR code reader, voice search, and a private browsing mode. Among search engine choices are Bing, Google, and Yahoo.
At present, there is no iPad version.
To try the iOS app, people must sign up with Microsoft's Windows Insider program, and then download it using Apple's TestFlight app. A finished release is due by the end of the year.
Charles Martin
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
Wesley Hilliard
Andrew Orr
24 Comments
No thank you......
Oh great...if its as shitty as the Edge browser in Windows 10 no thanks!
No really, I’m good…
Nope!
While I’ve never been a Microsoft fan, I see this as a good thing in that they are focusing on software tools for all platforms instead of tactically crippling software not on their preferred platforms as in prior years. In theory it’s a win-win.
But I suspect that the number of iPhone users who actually download the browser will be limited. Certainly, I have zero intention of actually installing the thing.