Microsoft Edge may not hold a candle to Chrome’s 1 billion Android installs, but it’s now ahead on ratings. The browser recently reached a score of 4.4 on the Play Store, inching just ahead of Google’s 4.3.
The accolade comes despite Edge’s relatively recent debut on the platform in October 2017. It offers users a degree of cross-platform compatibility with Windows 10, supporting the Timeline feature and the ability to open web pages on desktop with a tap.
Also contributing to the rating is the app’s recent integration of Adblock Plus. When enabled, the feature will keep ‘acceptable ads’ by default, but can also be used to remove them entirely. Comparatively, Chrome only blocks ads that don’t meet its standards.
What a proud day for our #MicrosoftEdge on Android team. We just crossed a 4.4 play store rating – this passes even Chrome on Android (we already ranked ahead of Chrome on iOS too). Thank you fans!!! We are always working to improve! #TeamBlueE @MWautier @JisunShin @kj_sax pic.twitter.com/RWzIhdbGWU
— Vishnu.one (@VishnuNath) August 9, 2018
Speaking on Twitter, Edge for Android head Vishnu Nath celebrated the milestone. He notes that Edge also ranks above Chrome on iOS on Apple’s App Store.
Firefox a Strong Contender
Microsoft Edge’s success on Android is significant, but it’s still early days for the app. Mozilla’s Firefox holds the same rating but has 100 million users versus Edge’s 5 million. It lets users install many of its desktop extensions, including adblockers and privacy tools.
However, Mozilla’s browser has recently seen a rash of complaints about lag and slowness, and Edge could be a well-poised alternative. Its progress in such a short amount of time is admirable and paints a stark contrast to its Windows 10 counterpart.
On desktop, Microsoft Edge only receives significant additions with each Windows feature update. Currently, those happen twice a year, severely hampering the speed at which it can evolve next to its rivals.
Mobile has no such restriction, leading to timely additions of parental controls, Paste and Go, and more. Microsoft has previously stated no plans to change its strategy, but we can’t help but wonder if Edge users would be happier.
You can get the latest version of Microsoft Edge for Android below:
[appbox googleplay com.microsoft.emmx&hl=en_GB]
