It is common knowledge that the competition to win over the market of Internet browser has been fierce in the past, and Google Chrome has conquered the biggest share of the pie starting from June 2012. Several newcomers have unsuccessfully tried to enter this market, which then appeared to be at a stable and mature stage.
…Are browser wars really over?
Microsoft would certainly not agree. With the launch of its new Windows 10 Operating System in July 2015, the tech giant has released the first version of Microsoft Edge: This is a desktop browser which is promoted as faster, more battery-efficient, safer and all-round better than competitors. A distinctive feature of it is the ability to quickly scribble and annotate on webpages and the possibility to enhance searches with the voice assistance Cortana. However, Edge still has a long way to go before conquering the market also because it is currently available only for computers running Windows 10 (differently from competitors who run on multiple editions of rival OSs): its overall market share is 5% (vs 52% of Chrome’s market share), but only 25% of W10 computers are currently using Edge as browser despite it being the initial default option.
The stickiness of the browser market is linked to the concept of Network Effects: the bigger is the users’ base, the more will be the developers (providers of content running on or adjusted for a determined browser, or companies willing to spend money to advertise their products on a determined browser), the higher will be the value of the platform. This is a feedback loop that increases the switching costs of the parties, and makes it harder to change the status quo. And this is why Chrome market share has kept on growing.
In order to attack this issue, Microsoft has launched a program that allows users to gain financial benefits from using Edge: The purpose is to bring on-board enough users so as to trigger a new feedback loop on its newly-launched browser. This program is called Microsoft Rewards (formerly Bing Rewards) and is currently only available in the USA: People using Microsoft Edge as browser, Bing as default search engine and Windows Store for the apps, will be able to accumulate points. These points will then be traded in for credits or vouchers to vendors such as Amazon, Skype, Starbucks, Xbox, and the advertisement-free version of Outlook.com.
Users will be monitored by Microsoft in order to ensure that they are using the Edge browser for as many as 30 hours per month by tracking signs such as mouse movements to make sure that they are not cheating. However, no precise conversion system of points per hour of usage has yet been specified, apart from the statement that every 1$ spent in the Microsoft/Windows Store corresponds to “at least 1 point”.
At this point we should question ourselves: seeing as Edge is a technically good product, will the tactic of paying users be able to break the ‘great wall of Chrome’ and gradually increase Microsoft Edge’s users base and market share in the browser industry?
REFERENCES:
- Microsoft Edge: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/microsoft-edge#JW7akzYofWQ3oeyE.97. Last visited on 26/9/2016.
- Microsoft Rewards: https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/html/pbPage.Rewards. Last visited on 26/9/2016.
- Computer world: Edge’s weak adoption contributes to Microsoft’s declining browser share: http://www.computerworld.com/article/3029631/web-browsers/edges-weak-adoption-contributes-to-microsofts-declining-browser-share.html . Last visited on 26/9/2016.
- Express: Microsoft will now PAY YOU to use its unpopular Windows 10 web browser: http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/702570/Windows-10-Microsoft-Edge-Failure-Pay-Rewards. Last visited on 26/9/2016.
- NetMarketShare: Market share of desktop browser: http://marketshare.hitslink.com/browser-market-share.aspx?qprid=0&qpcustomd=0&qptimeframe=Q. Last visited on 26/9/2016.
- SitePoint: Browser wars trends September 2016: https://www.sitepoint.com/browser-trends-september-2016-browser-wars/. Last visited on 26/9/2016.
- Tech Times: Microsoft Will Pay You To Use The Windows 10 Edge Browser: Here Are The Details: http://www.techtimes.com/articles/174361/20160820/microsoft-will-pay-you-to-use-the-windows-10-edge-browser-here-are-the-details.htm. Last visited on 26/9/2016.
- The guardian: Microsoft paying to use Edge: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/aug/19/microsoft-windows-10-browser-edge-pay-users-bing. Last visited on 26/9/2016.
