Upcoming Google Chrome Update Potentially Troublesomes for Microsoft Windows Users
It'sno wonder Google is persistently trying to maintain Chrome within its domain, combating the DOJ's attempts to force a sale of the browser. However, Chrome has shown remarkable tenacity, demonstrating this with a new update that brings misfortune for Microsoft and its Windows OS.
Microsoft has been vigorously advocating for Chrome users to switch to its Edge browser, which has led to criticism for the intrusive notifications and advertisements embedded within Windows itself, even interrupting Chrome installation processes on PCs. Although this approach has largely failed, Microsoft has employed a more powerful strategy, persuading users to switch to Edge for security reasons, particularly within a corporate setting. If users transition to Edge at work, there's a possibility they might do the same at home.
However, while Edge has been experiencing a steady growth in market share, exceeding 2% annually and accounting for 13% of the desktop market, Chrome continued to expand even faster as 2024 concluded. As reported by Neowin from Statcounter's latest data, "Chrome kicks off 2025 with a robust and unattainable 66.88% market share, augmenting its market share by 0.5 points in a single month and 1.65 points year-over-year." As a result, it appears that the Microsoft Windows campaign is simply not achieving its desired outcome.
The most recent advertisements promoting Edge to users surfaced during the holiday season on Windows, as reported by Windows Latest. "Microsoft Edge won't cease bothering users to set itself as default on Windows 11." Despite noticeable conversion, it's insufficient to pose a threat to Chrome. I have reached out to both Microsoft and Google for their thoughts on these recent statistics.
In fairness, Google's PR team has proven to be equally tenacious, rebuffing various negative Chrome headlines - the cookie tracking reversal, Apple's mock ad reminiscent of The Birds, security warning after security warning, and the excruciatingly aggravating Privacy Sandbox regulatory standstill. Google doesn't need to respond excessively - Chrome's user base values the browser's features and performance above its track record on privacy and security issues.
However, 2025 might be different - we remain unaware of how the U.S. antitrust campaign will conclude, and while Apple has rallied to protect Chrome, there's still a significant distance to cover. Nevertheless, Microsoft has its own issues here. As outlined by Neowin, "browser manufacturers and advocacy groups have sent a letter to the European Commission, requesting that Edge be subjected to DMA regulations and label Microsoft as a gatekeeper that harms other businesses with predatory practices."
Happy new year? Perhaps not for much longer.
Chrome's new update proved to be detrimental for Microsoft and its Windows OS, causing issues during Chrome installation processes on PCs. This led some users to consider switching to alternative browsers, such as Edge or Safari. However, a Microsoft warning about the security risks of using Chrome in a corporate setting failed to sway many users, as Chrome continued to dominate the market with a robust 66.88% share, according to a Google warning from Statcounter. Despite Microsoft's persistent efforts, Chrome vs Edge and Chrome vs Safari remain strong competitors, with Google Docs and Google's popular services integrating seamlessly with Chrome, providing users with a convenient and familiar experience. Apple, too, has shown support for Chrome, despite releasing a mock ad highlighting Chrome's privacy concerns, which Google addressed with a cookie tracking reversal.
