IT House news on December 13, according to Windows Latest, Windows 11 settings and ads force users to use Microsoft Edge as the default browser, which makes some Users of Vivaldi unhappy. Vivaldi co-founder Jon von Tetzchner wrote a blog post slamming Microsoft's serious anti-competitive practices.
Recently, Microsoft's Chromium-based browser made headlines for less than glamorous reasons. In many ways, Microsoft Edge is similar to Chrome or other Chromium-based browsers, but the company has been using new tricks to convince users to give Edge a chance on Windows 10 or Windows 11.
IT House has learned that one of Microsoft's latest attempts is a new banner inside the Microsoft Edge browser, which says "Chrome is the browser of 2008" when users try to download the Chrome browser. In addition, Microsoft has made it difficult to set Vivaldi or Chrome as the default browser for Windows 11. (Related reading: Microsoft Win11 Edge pop-up warning, trying to prevent users from downloading Chrome browsers)
Vivaldi is clearly unhappy with Microsoft's latest attempt to convince users to use Chromium Edge as the default browser for Windows 11.
Microsoft's move seems desperate and familiar. Obviously, they don't want you to use other browsers," said Jon von Tetzchner, co-founder and CEO of Vivaldi.
Vivaldi said some of Microsoft's practices have hindered the business of other browsers, including Vivaldi. For example, if you use Microsoft Edge to search for Vivaldi on Bing, you'll be asked to continue using Chromium Edge for a "fast, secure, and modern web experience."
If you ignore the recommendation to install Vivaldi on Windows, Windows 10 will again ask you to keep Microsoft Edge because it's better. On Windows 11, "[this practice] is even worse," says Jon von Tetzchne.
As Vivaldi emphasizes, Windows 11 makes it difficult to change basic things like default browsers. Unlike Windows 10, Windows 11 requires you to first select a browser and specify it as the default browser for all file extensions.
You'll need to manually select third-party browsers for a variety of web-related file extensions, including HTTP, HTTPs, htm, HTML, or files. And if you really try to change the defaults for all of these file extensions, Windows 11 will display yet another pop-up window that emphasizes the capabilities of the Edge browser.
They even offered to pay you for using the browser through their Microsoft Rewards program. This is not the behavior of a confident company that develops great browsers," said the Vivaldi founders. "It's a company that openly abuses its powerful position to push people to use its inferior products simply because it's able to [do so]."
Vivaldi founders told users to complain about Windows 11's anti-competitive behavior on social media platforms. The company also advises users in the U.S. and Europe to write or call antitrust regulators to investigate Microsoft's anti-competitive practices.
"The most important thing is not to let Microsoft win in this heap game. Stick with it until you can use the browser of your choice on Windows — and help your friends or colleagues do the same. Vivaldi said.