Microsoft Corp. Readying New Chrome-Like Browser To Replace Internet Explorer, Run Extensions

Microsoft Corp. is working on a new Web browser to replace its long-standing Internet Explorer, a report says. The successor to Internet Explorer reportedly will be so radically different, it will stand alongside the latest version (IE11) on Windows 10.

Internet Explorer has seen its dominant share of the browser market challenged by alternatives like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, which have gained in popularity in the last decade. The two feature rapid update cycles, often implementing security fixes and new features more quickly than Microsoft, and have a reputation for being faster and more secure.

Microsoft plans to implement a rapid update cycle for its new browser, code named Spartan, and ditch some but not most of the bogged-down legacy software that runs Internet Explorer, ZDNet reported. For instance, the report said Microsoft will avoid the WebKit standard Apple uses for Safari, a variation of which is used by Chrome. It said Spartan will feature browser extensions, a popular feature that allows users to add-on specific features and functions found on Chrome and Firefox.

There is no confirmation Microsoft will unveil the new browser, which will reportedly be offered on both mobile and desktop, during its Jan. 21 Windows 10 event. The Spartan browser will still run Microsoft’s Bing search engine, but be more “lightweight,” ZDNet said.