I was reading through the technology blogosphere and came across an article that said that Microsoft Edge, the web browser that comes pre-installed on Windows, is already used on 30% of computers in the United States. There, they treat information with some surprise, but unfortunately, I am not so surprised. Far from it. What surprises me is that Chrome is the most used browser in the world. Here I explain my reasons.
A few months ago, I was talking to one of my brothers about a page, I don't remember what, that he visited and it was full of pop-ups or pop-ups, and probably with some virus. To recommend a solution, I asked him what browser he used, and he told me he used Edge. That brother is not a demanding user, aka power user in English, and what you want is to browse. Why do you use Microsoft Edge and not another browser with Chromium base like Brave?
Microsoft Edge is the default on Windows…
When I had my first PC of my own, the operating system I used was XP. Chrome didn't exist, and Firefox was new. Almost all of us used Internet Explorer, which was the program that came installed by default and with which we could surf the waves of the Internet. When Chrome released its first version back in 2008, things changed. They changed a lot.
I don't think I used it until 2009-2010, when I already had an iMac. But little by little, it became the preferred choice for most people. And it still is.
Chrome uses the Chromium engine, the same as Vivaldi or Brave, and also the current Edge. The base is the same, The changes remain in small functions and in the interface. Therefore, using Chrome, Edge or Brave, the 3 most popular and most similar Chromium-based browsers, becomes a matter of taste.
Or not.
…and Microsoft resorts to dubious practices
The reason I'm not surprised that Microsoft Edge is used on 30% of US computers is that Microsoft is going way overboard with its marketing "strategies." Windows 11 defaults to its browser, and switching to another one isn't a matter of a couple of clicks; you have to change each extension. And if you change them, you occasionally get warnings that you're not using the recommended settings.
I don't use Windows by default on any of my computers, but I do have a virtual machine and an SSD for My Steam Deck. The thing is that They are very heavy with their invitations to use Microsoft services, which includes using Edge by default.
I am tempted to leave the default browser, and if I don't do it it is for two reasons: because I have other preferences — like Vivaldi or Firefox — and because… I don't feel like it. But I am a bit more stubborn than other people, and the 30% US quota proves it.
If we look at the global market share, StatCounter says Edge stays close to the 15% of the desktop. It's exactly half of what it is in the US, and that does give us something to think about. The difference is probably that outside of the US, Microsoft's home country, we don't think so highly of the Redmond company, although the EU's DMA law may also have something to do with it.
Edge is not gatekeeper
Microsoft was not forced to change anything in Edge, as it was not considered to be gatekeeper, but the company decided to be proactive and implemented changes to, let's say, get ahead of potential events. For example, it now allows users to uninstall applications such as Edge and Bing, and it has made it easier to configure default applications, giving users more options to choose alternative browsers and search engines. This, which is not mandatory in the US, would explain why many there have given in to Microsoft's harassment and takedown.
Unfortunately, it seems that they are not going to stop, especially if these practices help them achieve their goals. The only thing left for me to say is: I am not surprised that people get tired and end up using something that, basically, is the same.