Microsoft Edge for iOS Gets 3D Touch, Android Tablets and iPad Support Coming Soon

Microsoft is today rolling out a massive new update for its Edge browser on the iPhone. The new update brings some essential new features to the browser.

The main big thing part of the latest Edge update is support for 3D Touch. Microsoft Edge now takes advantage of the 3D Touch feature on all modern iPhones, allowing users to peek at pages without actually opening them using force/3D touch. This feature works with all types of links within the browser, including for pages on the recent pages section that shows up when you are typing in the address bar. The latest update now allows you to open a link in the background when you long press on a link, though that doesn’t have anything to do with 3D Touch.

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The latest update for Edge also comes with other useful features such as Find in Page, ability to open links in Edge from other apps via the native iOS share sheet, option to set the region for the MSN news feed on the New Tab page, and improved startup time. “Blazing fast” start time, according to Microsoft.

You can get the new Edge for iOS update from the App Store. The browser will soon support Android tablets and iPads, so keep an eye out for that.

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Conversation 10 comments

  • James Wilson

    21 February, 2018 - 5:52 pm

    <p>It's weird to think the 'modern' iPhone (iPhone 6S) is only 2 1/2 years old but is still updated and fully supported at exactly the same time as the newest iPhones. How many Android manufacturers can say the same. The only real advantage to using Edge on iPhone is if you are a Windows 10 user and want to sync favourites and perhaps passwords i.e. you don't use a password manager such as 1Password.</p><p><br></p><p>Apart from that? Not sure…</p>

    • jrickel96

      21 February, 2018 - 10:26 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#247602"><em>In reply to James_Wilson:</em></a></blockquote><p>There's not a real disadvantage either. Safari, Edge, Chrome, and Firefox are all using the same rendering engine, so it's about ecosystem. Safari has no option on Windows, so the default browser is a no go for most Windows users. I've been trying to get away from Chrome and the Google ecosystem as much as possible. Firefox is an interesting option, though I've found Quantum to be a memory hog on the PC – worse than Chrome or Edge by a long shot right now.</p><p><br></p><p>There is the Continue on PC option that I have used a few times and found interesting. Edge is in the running with Firefox to be my regular browser. There are some things I have to use Chrome for, but I'm trying to get away from it.</p>

    • tylerkruse

      22 February, 2018 - 5:53 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#247602"><em>In reply to James_Wilson:</em></a></blockquote><p>Okay so this is how I can tell you all are just a bunch of iSheep. There's a thing called custom ROMS on Android? Most people that stick with an Android phone get the ones that don't have a locked bootloader, and has good custom ROM support. The Nexus 6P and 5X is still on native support for OTA updates too. That's a 2015 phone that's on 8.1.0 same as my Pixel 2 XL. Also Android updates actually have improvements to the OS instead of releasing broken pretty trash that barely even works. When's the last time y'all seen a major upgrade to iOS other than looks? Android has a smoother OS, better multitasking, something that is called picture in picture mode, split screen apps, improvements to the OS all together. My old Lumia 950 is still more functional and quicker than y'all's iPhone X. At least I don't have to spend 3 seconds just to go to multitasking just to send a text or stay in the app when I'm watching YouTube.</p>

      • curtisspendlove

        22 February, 2018 - 8:20 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#247881"><em>In reply to tylerkruse:</em></a></blockquote><p>“Most people that stick with an Android phone get the ones that don't have a locked bootloader, and has good custom ROM support”</p><p><br></p><p>I’m willing to bet if you stopped 1000 people with Android phones less than 10 would have *any* idea what you mean. </p><p><br></p><p>Also multitasking takes a fraction of a second even on my old iPad Air 2. But nice try, I guess. </p><p><br></p><p>As for the rest of your comments, I disagree wholeheartedly about your subjective conclusions. </p><p><br></p><p>I could take some screenshots but it isn’t worth my time. Instead I’ll just refer you to Apple’s iOS marketing pages. </p>

  • Dan1986ist

    Premium Member
    21 February, 2018 - 6:19 pm

    <p>hopefully, Intel based Android tablets are included among the supported devices being added. </p><p>Edit: only ARM based Android tablets will be getting Edge. Those of us with Intel one's will have to wait some more.</p>

  • Shel Dyck

    21 February, 2018 - 8:14 pm

    <p>why not something useful, like extensions?</p>

  • nerocui

    21 February, 2018 - 8:16 pm

    <p>iOS version is far more polished than the Android version. The Android version has no animation, and full of bugs, and feels none native.</p>

    • Thomas Parkison

      22 February, 2018 - 1:08 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#247657"><em>In reply to nerocui:</em></a></blockquote><p>Then again, most apps on iOS are more polished than their Android-based cousins. It helps that nearly every device is running the latest iOS version thus it makes it far easier on app developers to be able to write apps unlike the hodgepodge that is Android.</p>

      • nerocui

        23 February, 2018 - 12:08 am

        <blockquote><a href="#247806"><em>In reply to trparky:</em></a> Very fair point. But for people like Android and dislike iOS, this is very difficult. Apps like this will push the Android users, who care about the subtle UX, to alternative apps like chrome or firefox.</blockquote><p><br></p>

        • Thomas Parkison

          23 February, 2018 - 8:13 am

          <blockquote><a href="#247944"><em>In reply to nerocui:</em></a></blockquote><p>If you ask me Google lost control of Android. It seems like the inmates are running the asylum.</p>

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