Microsoft wants to increase Edgeby discouraging the use of other browsers. Edge has a reputation as "the browser you use to download Chrome," and Microsoft, which clearly doesn't like that, is using some special tactics to push users away from the competition.
Users in a recent Windows 10 Insider Preview discovered a “warning” when they tried to install Chrome or Firefox. The dialog box noted that you don’t need to install the competition when “you already have Microsoft Edge.” You can install the browser of your choice and disable this dialog box so that it doesn’t appear in the future, but Microsoft to convince you to use Edge is obvious.
This isn't the first time Microsoft has tried to push Edge against user preferences. In the past, there have been attempts to have Windows Mail open links in Edge, as well as sending notifications to Chrome users encouraging them to switch. However, this move was particularly "aggressive" - and could bring backlash from users who were clearly ready to install a rival browser.
We've asked Microsoft for comment on the matter, and it's important to note that it's not clear that this feature will make it into the final release, which is expected to be an official October update for Windows 10. If it does, however, we're not sure antitrust regulators will react favorably. The European Union has previously expressed opposition to Microsoft's attempts to use its operating system monopoly to prevent users from switching browsers, something the company appears to be trying to do again.
