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AI-generated summary
I never thought I’d one day install Microsoft Edge on my Mac… I think this is the first time I’ve ever used Edge as my main browser — even back in the Internet Explorer days I was on Firefox or Netscape 🧔.
So, why install Edge on a Mac when you know how perfectly (forcefully?) integrated Safari is on Mac and iOS devices?
When you use a Mac, you very quickly end up in a bubble that’s incredibly hard to escape. If like me you use a PC at work, there’s no way to retrieve your Safari bookmarks, passwords, etc. I’m forced to rely on third-party online services to bridge the two worlds, and it gets old fast. Above all, I like having the same extensions across browsers — which is definitely not the case with Safari’s near-empty store.
So I set out to find a cross-platform browser — one that at least works on Windows, Mac, and iOS. Edge recently switched to Chromium and has therefore been ported to Mac, which is great.
I didn’t want to use Chrome to avoid putting all my eggs in one basket. And above all, on iOS, it’s impossible to install an ad blocker.
Unlike Firefox, you get access to all Chrome extensions, so there’s a very wide selection. Like Chrome, you can sync your bookmarks, extensions, and passwords — something that Brave sorely lacks.
On iOS, Edge has a built-in ad blocker, which Firefox doesn’t.
The reader mode — which strips away everything that gets in the way of reading an article — is available on both the desktop and iOS versions, which is very handy on a small screen.
The UX is great on both the desktop and iOS versions. I really like the “new tab” page, which displays beautiful images and news content.
Of course, page translation is built in just like Chrome, and you can even have pages read aloud.
If you’re allergic to Microsoft (same, but I got over it), I’d invite you to install Brave, another Chromium-based browser that aims to be as privacy-respecting as Firefox.
After writing this, I’m going to get roasted — but I stand by it: I think Firefox is dead. Everyone is moving to Chromium-based browsers. I think that’s fine, and the difference — and therefore the user’s choice — will come down to the associated services. What’s easier for a developer than building an extension compatible with every browser? Safari is holding out; maybe Mac users will be more willing to buy extensions from the Apple store, which will push developers to pay attention to it. Yet I can’t see how Safari will survive, at least on Mac — on iOS it’s protected, but for how long? Take streaming services as an example: Spotify and Qobuz don’t work on Safari, so if you’re on Mac you’re either forced to use a third-party browser or install the apps.
Don’t take my word for it — I’d encourage you to try it, even though Edge is still in beta on Mac.
