Microsoft is criticized again for abusing power to crush other browsers

In recent times, Microsoft has repeatedly used tricks to increase users for Edge browser on Windows. From openly mocking opponents to forced links to be opened with Edge, this certainly doesn’t please users, and neither do other browser developers. Recently, browser developer Vivaldi has criticized Microsoft for its Edge marketing activities that abuse Windows ownership.

Vivaldi CEO Jon von Terzchner lays out some of the tricks Microsoft has taken. First, when you search for another browser on Edge with the default Bing search engine, you’ll see a big banner advising that there’s no need to change to another browser.

Next is the complicated default browser change issue on Windows 11 (which Microsoft has addressed in a recent preview build). In addition, some links can only be opened with the Edge browser, and Microsoft openly mocks Chrome.

On top of that, if you reopen Edge after switching to a different default browser, you’ll see a window prompting you to use Microsoft’s “recommended browser,” which, when clicked, will switch to your default browser. you return to Edge.

With all that, Terzchner thinks Microsoft is abusing its strengths to help Edge gain more users. The CEO of Vivaldi says that what users can do is denounce Microsoft’s behavior in social media posts and quality feedback channels. Most likely Microsoft won’t respond, but they’ll probably see and gradually change.

Reference: XDA Developers