Although we often say that Microsoft Edge Chromium has already completely replaced the legacy version of the Redmond browser, Xbox is actually missing, a niche in which the new Chromium-based browser is not an option.
A niche in which the legacy version is still the only one that users can choose and, as if this were not surprising (which it is not), we are also talking about a niche in which it is precisely Microsoft who controls which software arrives and stops arriving at it.
Consoles long ago stopped being just consoles, to become entertainment centers , something that Microsoft has always tried to highlight over Sony, which although it does not neglect this aspect, has never stopped putting all the focus on games.
Xbox, since its second generation (Xbox 360) has tried to fight (and it has done it with dignity, in my opinion), in the arena of digital entertainment systems. And yes, his bet on HD DVD against the Blu Ray supported by Sony was, seen today, a mistake, but that’s how the format wars are.
Be that as it may, today we know that an important part of our leisure passes through the Internet and, more specifically, through the browser.
More on PC than on other devices, true, but also in these the browser turns out to be the gateway for many elements of our leisure, which is why it is essential to have an updated browser, compatible with the latest technologies and that supports the as many services as possible. Something that, to this day, neither Xbox nor PS offer.
The good news is that, as we can read in Ars Technica, after having prepared the final farewell to Edge Legacy on PC, those from Redmond have put their foot on the accelerator of the version of Edge Chromium for Xbox, and it has already begun to arrive to testers the alpha versions of the console operating system for the One and Series families.
the latest Xbox Alpha skip ahead build includes the Chromium version of Microsoft Edge pic.twitter.com/C34d59UYuJ
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) March 6, 2021
Yes, at the moment development is in its alpha phase, and aspects as elementary for a browser as keyboard and mouse support are not yet available, so its usability is somewhat limited.
In addition, as we can read in that article, some bugs have already been identified that, we understand, will be corrected in future test versions of the browser.
However, the most important thing is that this alpha would include the same engine as the desktop version, so when the final version arrives, the Xbox version of the browser should be fully with the services that we access from the PC browser.
There are several options that occur to me in this regard but, without a doubt, there are two that stand out above the others. I’m talking, of course, about GeForce Now and Google Stadia.
Well, and Microsoft xCloud, of course. And, except for changes that would be difficult to justify, the arrival on Xbox of a browser based on Chromium and whose desktop version is 100% compatible with these services would allow Microsoft to substantially expand the gaming options of its console compared to Sony’s.
If Sony were another company I would think that they are also working on bringing a Chromium-based browser to PS4 / PS5, but since we are talking about Sony, well, I am not so clear. However, and for users who do not have a special affection for either platform, it is these details that can make the difference.
In my case, I am a Stadia and GeForce Now user (and I will be an xCloud user when it arrives on PC), so while waiting for this Edge Chromium for Xbox, for me the Microsoft console has won some points compared to that of Sony. And, for PlayStation users, I hope Sony will quickly do something about it .