Microsoft’s Edge Browser to Feature Ad Blocking

Microsoft is actively trying to make Edge a better browser with each update, and it looks like the next major improvement for this admittedly quick browser concerns ad blockers. During a recent presentation of Build 2016, a certain slide showed that Microsoft plans to “build ad blocking features into the browser,” which suggests that Edge might support ad blocking features natively without the need for extensions. This is definitely encouraging news for those of you who use ad-blockers regularly, as Edge’s extension support is new and rather unpolished right now. Another interesting addition to the browser could be a modern extension/plug-in model” complemented by a store, which should also be implemented into the next version.

Unlike Google’s Chrome browser, which doesn’t offer ad-blocking capabilities on its own for obvious reasons, other similar programs such as Safari and Opera already block ads without any help from extensions. For the user, blocking ads could provide a faster and potentially safer browsing experience, but it’s worth keeping in mind that publishers stand to lose quite a bit as a result, which is why many of them are actively expressing their disappointment. Not too long ago, several websites in France have taken a public stand against ad blockers, with some websites even refusing to grant access to users unless they whitelist their publications.