this post was submitted on 04 Oct 2024
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Microsoft Edge gets "unfair advantage", browser makers claim (www.techradar.com)
submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/technology
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Some of the top browser makers around have issued a letter to the European Commission (EC) alleging that Microsoft gives the Edge browser an unfair advantage and should be subject to EU tech rules.

A letter seen by Reuters, sent by Vivaldi, Waterfox, and Wavebox, and supported by a group of web developers, also supports Opera’s move to take the EC to court over its decision to exclude Microsoft Edge from being subject to the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

As Edge comes pre-installed by default on Windows machines, users must navigate the Microsoft offering in order to download their browser of choice. The letter states that, “No platform independent browser can aspire to match Edge's unparalleled distribution advantage on Windows. Edge is, moreover, the most important gateway for consumers to download an independent browser on Windows PCs.”

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[–] noughtnaut 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Yes, I'm really confused about this article - isn't what you describe still in effect? Why on earth not? (I haven't used Windows in ages so I personally have never seen that.)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Microsoft and the European Commission agreed to an initial period of five years. That ended in 2014, and the measure was not extended mainly for two reasons:

  1. Data showed the selection screen had had essentially no effect on browser market share whatsoever.
  2. This period was basically the height of browser competition, with Chrome, Safari, IE, and Firefox all showing significant market share.

With competition in the browser market seemingly healthy, and the browser ballot not doing much to affect it, it was seen as pointless to keep requiring Microsoft to display it.

[–] noughtnaut 3 points 2 months ago

Thank you for that information.

One might also say, with the dire current state of browser competition, it won't make much of a difference.

I'm just privately hopping that Firefox won't lose its last few percent market share and go the way of the dodo. 🤞🥹