Microsoft wields Windows 10 notifications against Chrome browser
The software giant is warning Windows 10 users that Google's Chrome drains battery life much more than Microsoft's own Edge browser.
Microsoft is trying to edge out Chrome on Windows 10 machines.
Microsoft is keeping up its campaign against Google's Chrome browser, using Windows 10 notifications to persuade users to stop using Chrome and switch to its own Edge browser instead.
The software giant in June came out with a blog post that claimed Edge delivers more battery life for users of Windows 10 than Chrome, Firefox and Opera. The notifications, such as this one, appear to be a continuation of that effort.
A Microsoft spokesperson offered this statement Thursday on the notifications:
"Microsoft Edge was designed exclusively for Windows 10 with features and functionality that enhance the browsing experience such as Cortana, easy sharing, reading and researching. These Windows Tips notifications were created to provide people with quick, easy information that can help them enhance their Windows 10 experience, including information that can help users extend battery life. That said, with Windows 10 you can easily choose the default browser and search engine of your choice."
Still, according to ZDNet, only a quarter of Windows users are using Edge versus competitors, even though the browser is included in Windows 10 by default.
Microsoft once ruled the browser game with Internet Explorer, the predecessor to Edge. Over the last decade, however, it has seen a significant decline in usage as alternatives, especially Chrome and Mozilla's Firefox, rose to prominence and Internet Explorer failed to keep up with those competitors.
Updated, 11:13 a.m. PT: Added Microsoft's statement.