If you use Firefox or Chrome, Microsoft wants to win you back with another pop-up.
The new pop-up will come as part of the Windows 10 October 2018 update. However, testers running the new build have already spotted the pop-up.
When users try to install a rival web browser like Firefox or Chrome, the pop-up appears. “You already have Microsoft Edge — the safer, faster browser for Windows 10,” says the prompt.
@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
Below that, it gives you the option to use Edge or install the browser of your choice anyway. Additionally, there’s an option to turn off the pop-up.
However, having users jump through these hoops in the first place is rather frustrating. Most people installing another browser have a fairly good reason for it.
Alternatively, maybe you should give Edge a chance. It’s quite fast. Additionally, some of the best Windows 10 features are front and center in it.
Timeline, for instance, is integrated into Edge fairly well — although you can get an extension to bring the feature to other browsers.
Ultimately, I think that putting up warnings and prompts like this won’t help anyone. The people that would be dissuaded by warnings likely wouldn’t be installing another browser in the first place.
The pop-up will just annoy users who would install another browser. To me, it seems like a lose-lose situation.
Granted, Google isn’t much better. If you don’t use Chrome, you’ve likely seen the pop-up on the Google search page recommending you switch to Chrome for the same reasons Edge wants you to stay with it.
Regardless of where you stand in the browser wars, these practices aren’t good. They’re frustrating for users everywhere.
