Microsoft has expanded the reach of its Chromium-based Edge browser to one of its most important audiences: namely, people who have to use older versions of Windows. Microsoft has released Canary channel preview builds of Edge for Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 users. They’re rough around the edges like most pre-release software. The feature set will be “largely the same” as you’d get on Windows 10, however, including the upcoming Internet Explorer mode to satisfy business users who need compatibility.
Dev channel builds will be coming to earlier Windows releases “soon,” Microsoft added.
While this probably won’t be a must-have release for a home PC, it could be an important first step for corporate web surfers stuck with old Windows releases. Many office dwellers don’t have control over the browsers they use, with IT managers defaulting them to whatever Microsoft supplies. Once Edge is ready for general consumption, they could have a genuinely up-to-date browser instead of having to settle for an ancient copy of IE.
