Credit: Microsoft
Simultaneously with the launch of its Microsoft 365 consumer plans today, March 30, Microsoft also is highlighting some “coming soon” consumer-centric features of its Chromium-based Edge browser. The new features include capabilities for Chromium-based Edge on Windows 10 PCs, as well as Edge features for Mac, iOS, and Android.
Microsoft’s Chromium-based Edge browser is slowly rolling out to Windows 10, Windows 7, Mac and iOS/Android mobile users. Microsoft designated Chromium-based Edge, or “Chredge,” as I and some others call it, as generally available as of mid-January 2020. Microsoft has been updating regularly its new Edge roadmap, noting when features move from the “suggested” to “planned” categories, but the features it announced today go beyond that.
Microsoft is bringing a new password monitor capability to Chredge. Password Monitor is not the same as a password manager like LastPass or Dashlane. The Chredge Password Monitor feature will notify users if the credentials they’ve saved to autofill have been detected on the dark web, officials said.
If the new Edge uncovers a match with a user’s saved name plus password, they’ll receive a notification inside the browser suggesting they take action. Users will be able to use their dashboard in settings to see a list of all leaked credentials and get routed to their respective websites to change their passwords. Password Monitor is expected in the Insider channels for testing in the next few months, today’s blog post said.
On March 30, officials took the wraps off plans for vertical tabs in the new Edge. Microsoft is planning to allow users to display their tabs along the side of their Chredge browsers, not just along the top. (See a screenshot of vertical tabs in the image embedded in this post above.) Vertical tabs are expected in the Insider channels in the next few months.
Microsoft announced today that its Collections feature will be coming to Edge on iOS and Android “later this spring.” Collections allow users to collect information from multiple Web sites and export it to files or just pick up with it later — all without having to open additional apps. Collections for has been in testing among Insiders and is slated to come to the Stable (generally available) channel soon, officials said.
Other “coming soon” features that Microsoft is announcing today:
- Smart Copy: A new feature for selecting, copying and pasting the exact content a user wants from a Web site while maintaining rich Web format. Pasted text will retain its original formatting, including images or links. This will be coming to the Edge Insider channels next month.
- InPrivate search with Bing: A feature allowing those doing private “InPrivate” mode searches while using Bing. This is in testing in the Insider channel now and coming soon to the Stable Channel.
- Immersive Reader to get more new features, including in-line focus “soon.”
Microsoft’s post today said that the generally available/Stable channel version of Chromium-based Edge will be available via download for Windows 10 PCs starting next month. It is currently available to those who manually choose to download it on their PCs and Macs.
