Microsoft Releases iOS Version Of Edge Browser For iPhone, iPad

Microsoft’s Edge mobile browser has finally arrived on iOS. iPhone and iPad users may now download and install the Internet Explorer replacement on their devices.

On Thursday, Microsoft launched the iOS version of its Edge mobile browser following a brief preview period. The app is intended to provide users with a smooth transition from their iPhone or iPad to their Windows 10 PC through its “continuous browsing experience,” as per Apple Insider.

The Edge browser for iOS works similarly to Apple’s Continuity by synchronizing content viewed on one device with a different device. In this case, iPhone and iPad users can continue or move their browsing experience to their Windows PC and vice versa. To ensure seamless synchronization, Microsoft says users should download the Windows 10 Fall Creator’s Update for their PC.

The “Continue on PC” feature of the Edge browser offers support for a variety of things. For instance, users may share or synchronize their favorite links and their reading list on multiple devices. Microsoft built a central Hub View within the Edge mobile browser, so users will know where their data are stored. The Hub View also collects the user’s history and ebooks, so it makes content management easy.

“Microsoft Edge, now available on iOS, creates one continuous browsing experience for Windows 10 users across their devices. Content and data sync seamlessly in the background, so users can browse across devices, without skipping a beat. Microsoft Edge is designed for Windows 10 users to browse the web how they need to, wherever they are, without disrupting their flow,” Microsoft’s description for the app reads.

The only thing that’s missing from the Edge mobile browser is the ability to sync tabs, as pointed out by The Verge. Therefore, users still cannot share tabs between a Windows PC and an iPhone or iPad. There’s a silver lining however, since Microsoft has already confirmed that tab syncing support is coming to iOS devices in the near future — possibly next year.

Edge isn’t just about content synchronization though. It also features voice search, a QR code reader and a private browsing mode called “InPrivate.” The private browsing feature won’t retain history items, temporary Internet files and cookies.

Microsoft launched the Edge browser for public testing in October. Since then, it has added notable features to the app. One feature is called Roaming Passwords. This basically allows users to have their login details and passwords shared on multiple devices. This way, users have a quicker means to access their accounts whether they are on mobile or desktop, according to Mashable.

The other feature is the dark theme of the browser. This gives Edge’s user interface an alternative appearance. Windows Club says this theme causes less strain on the eyes, and it also conserves battery. Both help in ensuring longer working hours for users.

Microsoft’s Edge browser is now available for download from the iTunes Store. It’s clocking in at 121 MB and has support for English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese and Spanish. The app is compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices, but it requires iOS 9 or later iterations of Apple’s mobile operating system.