Microsoft celebrates first birthday of the new Edge browser

Microsoft has published a blog post celebrating one year of the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser. After allowing itself a little pat on the back, the blog quickly promises "a lot of great stuff coming in 2021," and outlines some of the changes that are due to arrive later this month.

One of the tasty treats arranged for Edge users is the introduction of new colourful themes to customise the look of the browser. The themes vary in scope from simple but appealing palette choices to full on customisations themed to Microsoft video games IPs like Forza Horizon, Flight Simulator, or the Halo series. On the topic of look and feel, Microsoft is making sure its Fluent design permeates the browser deeper; in icons and other UI furniture.

Moving a little deeper some functionality changes will be broadly welcomed. Microsoft has started to roll out a tab sleeping feature which improves performance and reduces wasted CPU cycles/ memory / laptop battery by auto sleeping inactive tabs. Is this an optimisation that Google could make use of in Chrome?

Tabs and history will be synced for all Edge users, across all their devices, this week as this previously geo-specific feature rolls out worldwide.

Last but not least, Edge is delivering new password manager features shortly. Changes mean that users will benefit from auto-suggested secure passwords whenever signing up to new online services or whenever the new password monitor finds that any of your logins have been part of a leak.