The end is nigh? Microsoft finally ditches Microsoft EdgeHTML

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by Radu Tyrsina 

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Microsoft Edge

In news that surely doesn’t come as much surprise, reports are coming in that Microsoft has finally decided enough is enough, and is going to give up on Microsoft EdgeHTML. Read on to find out what we know so far.

It was always going to be an uphill battle. Launched in 2015, Microsoft EdgeHTML started off badly and went downhill from there. It now has a market share of 4%. In fact, looking at the chart below, you can see there is one problem hanging over all browsers except one.

Browser market share

Source: Wikimedia

Another Chromium-based browser?

After three years of poor uptake, mainly because of its stability issues and the fact that no one likes it, Windows has decided to go down a different path. It is giving up on EdgeHTML and adopting Chromium, which is pretty much what every other browser uses.

This should make everyone a lot happier. A chromium-based Windows 10 browser should have none of the issues that Edge has. Plus there will be many more extensions available, as it will have access to Chrome’s huge depository of add-ons.

Mobile phones are not any easier

Of course, Microsoft already uses chromium for its Android-based browser. But the difficulty in persuading people to use EdgeHTML on their PCs is reflected on phones. If a market share of 4.34% is bad on PCs/laptops, then the 0.08% market share that Microsoft EdgeHTML has on phones is downright pathetic. By the way, if you are interested, NetMarketShare has a cool page to check out all browser usage stats.

A rose by any other name

One of the big questions will be what Microsoft will call its new browser. I reckon that Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge are pretty toxic. However, after three years of ploughing money into Edge, Microsoft will be pretty loathed to ditch the brand name on top of its browser.

Wrapping Microsoft EdgeHTML up

One could almost ask why Microsoft even bothers, except we all know the answer to that. Google has shown the world what can be achieved with the lowly browser, and a tech giant like Microsoft is highly unlikely to want to throw the baby out with the bath water just because it hasn’t hit on the right formula yet.

What do you think? Is a new Windows 10-based browser just throwing good money after bad?

Or do you think that Microsoft’s adoption of Chromium will see its browser heading back to the heady days when over 90% of browser usage was Internet Explorer?

Let us know in the comments below.

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Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina Shield

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time). For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web. Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they're looking for.