Microsoft has finally started implementing new features in its latest internal Redstone builds, the first of which appear to focus on the company’s new Windows 10 browser, Edge. Microsoft is working to make Edge a viable alternative to other popular web browsers in Redstone, by introducing extensions and other much needed features.
In the latest builds of Redstone, Edge now features a save download prompt, meaning Edge will no longer automatically save downloads when a download is being offered. This is a much requested feature which surprisingly is not present in the current public release of Edge, and to many considered a security issue as the browser simply downloads whatever a webpage is offering without the users consent.
Microsoft is also working on implementing a number of new technologies behind the scenes as well, such as Web Notifications. In the latest internal builds, the flags area within Edge includes an option to enable Web Notifications, however it is unclear if these will actually be working by the time the next Insider drop is released.
Additionally, the company is also making it easier to open inPrivate tabs on Mobile, with the latest Windows 10 Mobile builds featuring a button that opens an inPrivate tab directly from the tab screen, instead of hiding it in a menu like currently. Current internal versions of Microsoft Edge are on version 31, 6 versions newer than the current public release at version 25.
Of course, there will be further improvements and features made to Edge and the rest of Redstone over the coming months leading up to its release in June/July. But it’s good to finally start seeing features get implemented into the main Redstone development branches.
With these changes, it’s clear Microsoft is serious about its new Edge browser. With extensions coming very soon, it’s likely many will start using the browser full time over other browsers such as Chrome and Firefox, since Windows 10 and Edge go hand in hand for a better browsing experience.
Microsoft is currently flighting new builds with these changes in as we speak, however it is unclear whether these Edge improvements will be in the next drop or the one after. Regardless, these changes are coming and are very welcome additions to the Edge feature-base, which right now is looking rather bare compared to rival browsers.
