Microsoft Launches Edge Browser Beta For Android And iOS
Microsoft Edge is already available on Windows 10 Mobile, but that's a dying platform. So, the company is extending the browser to the Android and iOS platforms in Preview (Beta) form. According to Microsoft, it made this move because users were telling the company “we want our browser experience to move to our phones”.
As a result, Microsoft Edge for Android and iOS brings with it a number of features that you would find on its desktop counterpart including your Favorites, Reading List, New Tab Page and Reading View. But the feature that Microsoft seems to be most proud about is the "Continue On PC" feature. As the name implies, you can start reading a webpage on your iPhone 8 or Galaxy Note 8, for example, and then pickup instantly right where you left off on your brand-new ThinkPad 25 Anniversary Edition.
We should note that the Continue on PC feature is only available when running the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. So, if you want to try out the beta right now, you'll need to be running an Insider Preview version of the Fall Creators Update, or wait until the software is made publicly available on October 17th.
Since this latest mobile incarnation of Microsoft Edge is currently in beta, you won't find tab syncing (which is a big omission) or support for pen highlighting (which would come in handy with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil). You also won't find integrated support for the Cortana digital assistant.
For those that are heavy users of Edge on Windows 10, this seems like a no-brainer piece of software to try out on your Android or iOS device. In a way, Microsoft is trying to mimic the synergy of Chrome on Windows 10 with its complementary iOS/Android apps or macOS Safari users that use the mobile app on an iPhone or iPad.
To sign up for the Microsoft Edge Preview for Android and iOS, check out the following link.
Microsoft also announced a preview build of the Microsoft Launcher, which is the next evolution of the Arrow Launch that is currently available for Android devices. Microsoft Launcher was built using Google's Fluent design language and gives you quick access to your recent photos, documents, and your oft-used contacts. Microsoft Launcher also supports the Continue on PC functionality found in the Microsoft Edge Preview.
You can join the Microsoft Launcher Preview here.
