In brief: Microsoft is working on several new features for Edge that should benefit both ordinary users and enterprise clients alike. Launch dates weren't mentioned and with some features, it looks like development is still in early phases. This will give Microsoft time to tweak the ideas based on user feedback but means we'll ultimately have to wait longer for them to land in public builds.
Microsoft in early April shipped the first Canary and Developer builds of its Chromium-powered Edge browser. On Monday during the keynote of its Build 2019 developer conference, Microsoft shared additional details regarding Edge including a new Internet Explorer mode.
Designed primarily with enterprise customers in mind, Internet Explorer mode brings full IE11 compatibility to Edge, allowing companies to continue to access older internal websites that don’t support newer browsing technologies.
Microsoft also previewed an early concept for new privacy tools in Edge including one-click presets that impact how companies can track you across the Internet. Options highlighted include Unrestricted, Balanced and Strict, each with a unique blend that impacts how trackers and custom ads affect your browsing experience.
The Redmond-based tech giant is additionally working on a new feature called Collections that is designed to help users cope with an Internet that can be overwhelming. “It’s easy to lose track of where you are, and too difficult to turn the chaos of your tabs and windows into actionable information,” Microsoft said.
Collections will use cloud-powered intelligence and an intuitive interface to help users collect, organize and share content as they traverse the web.
Intelligent export to apps like Word and Excel preserves the logical structure of your content, so you can turn a loose collection of paragraphs into a handout with citations, or turn a shopping list into a spreadsheet sortable by price.
Microsoft said these features and more will be rolling out in preview builds over time as they get closer to the broader launch of Edge. Builds are also coming for earlier versions of Windows and macOS, so keep your eyes peeled for those as well.
