Microsoft starts testing Chromium-based Edge for Xbox

Microsoft no longer supports the Edge Legacy browser. The company is ending support for the original Edge this month in favor of more modern Edge Chromium. Still, there is a single platform where Edge Legacy remains the primary way to browse the Internet. Microsoft keeps Edge Legacy on Xbox consoles, but the old browser will soon bite the dust even there. The company recently started selective testing Edge Chromium on the Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles.

Currently, Edge Chromium is available to Xbox Insiders in the Alpha Skip Ahead ring only. Besides the limited availability, the browser is missing some features and needs additional polishing. First testers report no mouse and keyboard support, so the only way to navigate the Internet is the connected controller and the on-screen keyboard. Also, Edge Chromium for Xbox is quite buggy. That is probably the reason why Microsoft keeps Edge Legacy side by side with the newer browser.

Edge Chromium for Xbox will bring the similar experience to Xbox that Windows and macOS users enjoy now. This includes extensions, syncing capabilities, vertical tabs, collections, etc. Additionally, by moving from Edge Legacy to Chromium Microsoft makes it possible to use cloud-based services, such as GeForce Now or even Google Stadia.

There is currently no information from Microsoft on when the new Edge arrives for Xbox. We expect the company to take some time to polish the browser prior to release.

Recently, Microsoft released Edge 89 with a bunch of neat features. Vertical tabs are now available globally, plus users can save some memory on their computers with the new Sleeping Tabs feature. You can read more about what is new in Edge 89 in a separate article.

Source: @tomwarren

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