Microsoft's Chromium-based Edge: These extensions are coming to new browser
Ahead of Microsoft's Chromium-based Edge debut, the company has opened up a page for new and presumably Chrome-compatible Edge extensions for its new browser.
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Edge extensions have never taken off in the way that Microsoft had hoped for its modern browser, partly because few people use Edge and the company set a "high bar for quality" to keep junk off the browser.
Microsoft began allowing Edge extensions in 2016 but, because of these factors, a year later it had only attracted 70 extensions from third-party developers. By contrast, the Chrome Web Store now features over 180,000 extensions for Google's Chrome browser, which is installed on over a billion PCs.
As spotted by noted Windows leaker WalkingCat, Microsoft has published the Microsoft Edge Insider Addons page which showcases 82 addons.
Microsoft kicked off the Edge insider program in December, after announcing the big switch to Chromium.
Extensions currently available include AdBlock, Amazon Assistant, Pinterest, the Microsoft Personal Shopping Assistant, Norton Safe Web, Pocket, LastPass, and Qihoo 360 Internet Protection.
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Microsoft has several categories including 'Adblockers and password managers', 'Education', 'Social and entertainment', 'Shopping', and 'For developers'.
Absent from the current menu of Edge extensions is the Windows Defender anti-phishing extension that Microsoft released for Chrome last April, promising better protection than Google's own technology that ships with Chrome.
While more extensions would help boost Edge's appeal, Microsoft hasn't said how it plans to approach the addons.
The company intends to release its first iteration of Chromium-based Edge in early 2019. The new Edge will be available for Windows 7, 8.1, 10 and macOS. The browser will ship with Windows 10, but it will be updated independently of Windows.
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