TL;DR: Microsoft's Edge browser continues to trail behind Chrome in terms of popularity and user approval, even though it's been an integral part of Windows for several years now. The software giant has been consistently working to improve its Chromium-based browser, and now there's a codename for some potential UI changes on the horizon.
Phoenix is Microsoft's latest initiative to revamp the Edge experience and make the browser a more appealing choice for Windows users. While the codename Phoenix has been known to leakers for some time, Microsoft now appears to be giving it more significance. Phoenix-related features have started appearing in Edge Canary builds, though there is no guarantee these features will make it to the browser's stable version.
With Phoenix, Microsoft is aiming for a significant UI overhaul to give Edge a more "modern" look that aligns with the Windows 11 design aesthetic. These updates are expected to be rolled out gradually to end users. Recent Edge Canary releases, which are updated daily to test the latest experimental changes, introduced the following two feature flags:
- msEdgePhoenixColorPaletteGenerator
- msUseSnappingPointsForPhoenixPaletteGeneration
Judging from the flags, Microsoft could be developing a new palette generator algorithm and dynamic color palettes. However, the Canary builds currently lack clear references to specific features available for testing. For now, we'll have to wait and see which features Microsoft ultimately decides to include for Edge testers to try and experiment with.
Other hidden flags recently spotted in Edge Canary builds include msVisualRejuvTooltips, which seems to hint at a potential revamp of the browser's tooltip system. However, Microsoft later removed the flag, suggesting this may have been one of the many experimental ideas the company decided to scrap during development.
Creating a modern browser is undoubtedly a complex and iterative process, even when leveraging a well-established layout engine like Chromium, which Microsoft adopted in 2018. Around a year ago, the company officially announced the WebUI 2.0 project, aimed at making the Edge interface significantly faster and more responsive.
Other enhancements potentially coming to Edge include AI-powered translations, a feature that virtually every major technology company is currently pursuing. Microsoft's many "reinventions" of Edge also include Game Assist, a game-aware feature designed to help gamers by providing contextual tips and video tutorials.
Other enhancements potentially coming to Edge include AI-powered translations, a feature that virtually every major technology company is currently pursuing or pushing given it's much easier and accurate to do now using transformers.
Microsoft's many "reinventions" of Edge also include Game Assist, a game-aware feature designed to help gamers by providing contextual tips and video tutorials.
Microsoft's Phoenix project aims to modernize Edge with UI upgrades
