Following heavy criticism, it appears that Microsoft has dropped ‘App Suggestions’, an annoying feature that was designed to get Windows 10 users to choose Edge over Google Chrome and Firefox.
The feature, which looked set to roll out to all users as part of the Windows 10 October 2018 update, was first spotted by Windows Insiders, many of whom weren’t exactly impressed. And according to the Verge, it has now been ditched.
App Suggestions made a popup appear whenever users tried to install a third-party web browser. Hardly the worst thing in the world, but highly irritating nonetheless.
@MicrosoftEdge What kind of slimy marketing cesspool crap is this Microsoft? I proceed to launch the Firefox installer and Windows 10 pops this up? If I wanted to use your browser, I would. pic.twitter.com/f7jk9sGvYA
— Sean Hoffman (@SeanKHoffman) September 11, 2018
Read more: Best web browser
“You already have Microsoft Edge − the safer, faster browser for Windows 10,” the popup read. Below that line were two options: ‘Open Microsoft Edge’ (highlighted in blue), and ‘Install Anyway’.
Microsoft had initially planned for the feature to be switched on by default when it arrived with the Windows 10 October 2018 update, Windows Central reports, but you would have been able to disable it by diving into the Settings menu.
It would have been a really irritating bit of functionality, and in all likelihood would have further alienated Windows users and made them even less likely to warm to Edge.
Microsoft is clearly desperate to give its own web browser a much-needed leg-up. In the past, it’s tried to do this by overriding users’ browser preferences and by preventing links clicked inside the Windows Mail app from opening on anything other than Edge.
Read more: Best laptops
As of August 2018, on desktop Google Chrome has a 65.21% share of the market, with Internet Explorer on 10.86%, Firefox on 9.76% and Edge on 4.3%, according to NetMarketShare.
On mobile, Chrome has a 61.65% share of the market, with Safari on 23.82% and all other options trailing way behind.
Do you find Microsoft’s Edge prompts annoying? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter @TrustedReviews.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.