The first Beta build of the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge web browser is now available for Windows and macOS users after having already been downloaded over one million times while distributed through the Dev and Canary preview channels.
Microsoft announced its plans to adopt the Chromium-based Blink engine in December 2018, with the end goal of building an entirely new web browser for its Windows and macOS customers under the Anaheim codename.
"Ultimately, we want to make the web experience better for many different audiences," stated Joe Belfiore, the Corporate Vice President for Windows, in a blog post published at that time.
"People using Microsoft Edge (and potentially other browsers) will experience improved compatibility with all web sites, while getting the best-possible battery life and hardware integration on all kinds of Windows devices."
Distributed via three preview channels
A Microsoft Edge Beta build based on Chromium 75 was previously leaked in early May when internal download links were found and published on Twitter by users, after the download links for Microsoft Edge for Mac were also leaked one day before.
After the official announcement of the Edge Beta channel, there are now three different Microsoft Edge preview channels:
• a daily updated Canary channel with releases published automatically,
• a weekly updated Dev channel tested by the Microsoft Edge team
• and the new Beta channel with major updates every 6 weeks
Currently, Microsoft's Chromium-based Edge browser is available for Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and macOS users through all three distribution channels.
Microsoft Edge Beta is the final preview channel available before the stable version of the browser will be launched. The Beta releases will come with features that have previously tested by users and the development team while in the Canary and Dev channels.
"The Beta channel will be our most stable channel, representing what we intend to release soon. The Canary and Dev channels will remain the right place to see the latest features, often before they are finished or tested thoroughly," says Microsoft.
Microsoft's Edge Beta provides users with several ways of customizing their experience like new tab page customization, a dark theme, and support for Chrome extensions available via the Microsoft Edge Insider Addons store or the Microsoft Edge Insider Addons store.
The Chromium-based Edge also comes with tracking prevention, a feature which can be enabled by typing edge://flags/#edge-tracking-prevention and designed to allow users "to choose from three levels of privacy – Basic, Balanced and Strict."
"To date, there have been more than one million downloads of our preview builds, across all supported versions of Windows and Mac, from which we have received more than 140,000 individual pieces of feedback," adds Belfiore.
Microsoft Edge Beta Security Bounty Program announced
At the same time this Beta release was announced, Microsoft also said that the Microsoft Edge browser security bounty program was also extended to cover the Beta and Dev channels.
"We welcome researchers to seek out and disclose any high impact vulnerabilities they may find in the next version of Microsoft Edge, based on Chromium, and offer rewards up to US$30,000 for eligible vulnerabilities in Dev and Beta channels," says the announcement published on Microsoft Security Response Center's blog.
The Microsoft Edge Insider Bounty Program will run beside the Microsoft Edge (EdgeHTML) on Windows Insider Preview bounty program and all "vulnerabilities that reproduce in the latest, fully patched version of Windows (including Windows 10, Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1) or macOS may be eligible."
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