Microsoft Edge for Android will receive a significant upgrade in 2021. The Android version of Microsoft's flagship browser is likely to jump multiple Chromium versions in a single update, propelling it forward with new features.
The current Microsoft Edge for Android version isn't the most popular mobile browser option, so the news of an upgrade will please users no end.
What Updates Will Microsoft Edge for Android Receive?
The Microsoft Edge team recently held an AMA on the Microsoft Edge subreddit. Their responses provide significant insight into the next development phase of the mobile browser.
The current version of Microsoft Edge for Android is based on Chromium 77, which was released back in August 2019. Other Chromium-based browsers are now using Chromium 87, released in November 2020.
Browsers using the latest version of Chromium have over a year of feature updates and performance and efficiency upgrades compared to Microsoft Edge for Android. Running on an outdated version is holding the browser back and curtailing uptake.
We now know that the main reason Microsoft Edge for Android lags behind relates to codebase differences between the desktop and mobile browser versions. Microsoft wants to align the code between the two versions to make future updates easier to roll out, with less disruption for users.
We are investing significantly in our mobile apps. The reason for the old Chromium version is that our priority right now is to get it aligned sharing the same code base as the desktop Edge. Once that work is complete we expect rapid updates to come out on that aligned code base.
So, although the Microsoft Edge team couldn't point to a specific update, Edge on Android users can at least take solace knowing that a major update is in the pipeline.
Microsoft Edge for Android Extension Support
The Microsoft Edge team also confirmed that further development work on extension support would cease. The lack of extension support for Microsoft Edge on Android is another issue holding the mobile browser back.
Confirmation that Microsoft "Will keep monitoring user feedback around this" and "Monitor user appetite on this vs. other competing priorities" will not please existing users.
However, the Microsoft Edge team also stressed that "The team are just people operating under constraints—time, budget, technology—and we don't have any magic wands to wave."
Updating to a newer Chromium version and additional extension support is important for Microsoft Edge for Android, as upcoming changes to Chromium will render older extensions unusable in some cases.
There was also a word on when Microsoft Edge would receive native support on Apple's new M1 silicon. You can already use Microsoft Edge on M1 using the Rosetta2 emulator, but "Native ARM support is something we're actively working on."