Edge Insiders can now expect double the fun on the Canary branch as Microsoft ups the ante.
If you like Microsoft Edge, you should check out the Canary build. Microsoft has just announced that it will increase the frequency of Edge Canary branch updates to two per day, up from one.
Microsoft Edge Canary Gets a New Update Schedule
According to Neowin, Microsoft is doubling the number of updates that Edge Canary receives each day. The Redmond behemoth officially announced the change on the Microsoft Edge Insider website, in a brief post titled “Heads up: Twice daily Canary builds are now in effect.”
If you’re unfamiliar with Canary, it’s the cutting-edge version of, well, Edge. The Edge Canary branch receives updates before any other branch, but the browser as a whole is more prone to bugs and crashes.
These bugs are worked out before they are pushed to the Dev branch (updated every week), then the Beta branch (every month), and finally the main version of Edge. That’s why it’s called “Canary”; it’s the browser equivalent of bringing a bird into a mineshaft to make sure everything is in order before moving forward.
If you’re interested, you can download the Canary version from the Microsoft Edge Insider download page. Just keep in mind that, while you’ll get all the cool features before anyone else, you should also expect some strange crashes and bugs. Just make sure to report them as you come across them.
Is Microsoft easing off the gas?
So, why is Microsoft suddenly doubling the number of Edge Canary updates? Microsoft hasn’t said much about it, but it’s possible that the company wants to put the heat on its main competitor, Chrome.
Microsoft has more room to add features to people’s Canary branches by pushing two updates per day. This results in faster testing and bug-checking of new features, which may persuade people that Edge is worth the effort. And, given how well Microsoft’s efforts compare to Chrome, changes are more likely than you might think.
Edge Canary has twice the fun.
We’ll have to wait and see how Microsoft uses this extra space now that it’s doubling down on Edge Canary updates. Who knows, perhaps this is the nudge Microsoft needs to compete with Chrome.
