Microsoft on Tuesday announced that its Edge browser would receive several new features in the upcoming months including Pinterest integration on Collections, sidebar search and automatic profile switching option. The company announced the new features at Build 2020, its annual developer conference that commenced on Tuesday where Microsoft shared several new elements that would be introduced on its products including Edge. The new Microsoft Edge browser is built on Chromium open source project that also powers Google Chrome, Vivaldi and Brave browsers. Additionally, Microsoft announced that it has made over “3,000 commits back to the Chromium open source project” since the company switched its focus to Edge Chromium browser.
Sidebar Search to Aid Users in Delivering Quicker and Seamless Search
Microsoft said that the sidebar search would enhance user experience by providing the option to view search results on a side pane instead of a new tab. The company said that the users can right-click on a word and pick the “search in sidebar” option to view results in a side pane inside a webpage.
“Today you have the option to look up words or phrases by searching in a new tab,” Microsoft said in a release. “This can make you lose your train of thought instead of helping you get more out of what you’re reading. Sidebar search aims to improve this experience by giving you the option to see results in a pane on the side of the page.”
Those users who have signed with an Azure account can also view results from their company intranet. Microsoft said that the sidebar search will arrive on the Insider preview channels “in the coming weeks.”
Microsoft said the Collections feature that enables users to organize, save and “create groups of content” from across the web would receive a boost with the Pinterest integration. The two companies have collaborated to aid users discover relevant content for their projects. Collections enables users to save links, images, texts, notes from across multiple sites and with the Pinterest integration, users can see Pinterest suggestions inside the collection.
“This new integration with Pinterest will help you find ideas to spark inspiration, save time, and be more productive by suggesting content related to what you have already collected,” Microsoft said.
Additionally, it was said that the Collections would soon enable users to send an item to OneNote. Microsoft said that the Collections integration with Pinterest along with “Send to OneNote” option would roll out to Insider channels “within the next month.”
Automatic Profile Switching and Improvements to Edge Add-ons
The company has also introduced the Automatic Profile Switching option on Edge that enables the browser to automatically switch to work profile when it detects a link that needs work credentials. The Automatic Profile Switching feature is already live to users on the Insider build.
Meanwhile, Microsoft said that the Edge Add-ons will receive a “significant update” this month which would make it easier for users to find the required add-on. Further, Microsoft said that it is “committed” to make it more accessible for developers to port their Chromium based extensions to its own store.
“We will be making a significant update to the Microsoft Edge Add-ons site to make it more visually appealing—new categories, new search capabilities, and a new layout will get those extensions in front of customers,” Microsoft said.
