Microsoft expedites the Edge add-ons review process, but that might not be so great for developers

Microsoft has just announced a revamped review process for Edge add-ons that’s set to make life a whole lot easier and faster for developers. Ehe Edge Dev team shared insights on how they’re cutting down the wait time for add-on approvals while keeping the quality and security in check.

What’s changing in the add-ons review process?

Developers have been frustrated by long approval times for their add-ons, so Microsoft’s changes are meant to reduce the approval or denial process a lot faster:

To support this, we have implemented an expedited review process for high-quality and high-value extensions. Select extensions will enjoy a priority queue with faster review times. These extensions are automatically chosen based on a broad set of parameters, including:

• User value, as indicated by user adoption of the extension, user feedback, and other metrics.
• Quality of submissions in Partner Center, high quality submissions over time with zero submission failure by ensuring completeness, accuracy, and adherence to guidelines.
• Robustness, demonstrated by regular updates of the extension.
• Security, the extension meets our stringent security standards.

Microsoft added that if the extensions meet these criteria will be added, but those that don’t will be automatically excluded.

So, yeah, the process will be a lot faster, but this sounds like an AI automation move to cut costs and eliminate back-and-forth talks with developers. On one hand, if you’re a developer, you will know exactly whether or not your add-on is approved. However, if it’s rejected, it doesn’t sound like you’re going to know more about why it was rejected and how to improve your submission.

Only time will tell if Microsoft will actually remove a bottleneck or just create more problems for developers. If you’re an Edge add-on developer, tell us your opinion about this change in the comments below.