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Microsoft’s December 6, 2018 announcement was about adopting the open-source Chromium project as the web platform for desktop Microsoft Edge and contributing to that shared project. It was not a plan to release the complete Edge browser as open-source software. Microsoft said the change aimed to improve web compatibility and reduce fragmentation for web developers.
What Microsoft announced
On December 6, 2018, Microsoft executive Joe Belfiore announced that the company intended to adopt Chromium in the development of desktop Edge. Microsoft described a gradual transition carried out in the open. Its announcement also anticipated more frequent Edge updates across supported Windows versions and an eventual version for macOS; those were plans stated in 2018, not a description of every current product detail.
Microsoft’s companion document, “Microsoft Edge and Chromium Open Source: Our Intent”, set out the company’s rationale, approach, and initial contribution priorities. It framed the priorities as a starting point for collaboration, not as a list of Edge components being released to the public.
Why Microsoft chose Chromium
Microsoft said a shared web platform could make websites behave more consistently for users and reduce the number of browser-platform combinations developers had to test. It also argued that Chromium-based browsers could benefit from Microsoft’s experience with Windows, including work related to battery life and hardware integration.
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The company presented these as expected benefits for three groups: end users, developers, and corporate IT teams. It said shared platform work could help modern websites and older enterprise applications work more consistently. The 2018 announcement stated goals and expectations; it did not provide measured compatibility or performance results.
What Microsoft said it would contribute
Microsoft’s intent document named four initial areas of focus. These were priorities for joint work in Chromium, not a claim that every item had been completed or that the list was exhaustive.
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ARM64 support
Microsoft identified native Chromium support on ARM64 devices as a priority, with the aim of enabling Chromium-based browsers to run natively on Windows on ARM.
Accessibility
The company proposed improving accessibility support, including Microsoft UI Automation interfaces for Narrator and other assistive technologies, compatibility with Windows Ease of Access settings, accessible controls, and caret browsing.
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Touch and other modern input
Microsoft said it wanted to improve desktop touch support, gesture recognition, scrolling, and panning on newer Windows devices.
Security
Microsoft committed to working with Chromium’s security team and contributing its secure-software and Windows-platform expertise.
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- A 15" TOUCHSCREEN YOU'LL ACTUALLY USE — Sharp colors, real detail, smooth 120Hz scrolling on the PixelSense touchscreen[1] with LCD display[2]. Tap, scroll, or pinch to zoom - whichever feels right for streaming, editing photos, or daily work.
- 19 HOURS OF BATTERY (LEAVE THE CHARGER) — Up to 19 hours of video playback[3] on a single charge. Work from a coffee shop, take it to class/work, or binge an entire season on a long flight — it'll keep up.
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The same document pointed to earlier work involving ARM64, WebRTC for UWP apps, and ANGLE as examples of Microsoft’s involvement. Those examples describe work cited in 2018; by themselves, they do not establish its present status or impact.
Chromium is the platform; Edge is the browser
Chromium is the open-source browser project whose web platform Microsoft planned to use and help develop. Microsoft Edge is a browser product built around that platform. Microsoft’s document said Edge would retain a distinct user experience through Microsoft features and connected services. That distinction is why the announcement should not be summarized as “Microsoft made Edge open source”: it concerned platform adoption and contributions, not publication of the complete Edge product’s source code.
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- Brilliant Display – Stunning 13.8" PixelSense touchscreen[1], with brilliant LCD display[2], unleashes luminous whites, deeper blacks and colors so richly saturated bringing vivid life into every frame – perfect for work, school, streaming and creative tasks.
- Power that lasts all day – With 20 hours of battery life[3], the new Surface Laptop powers through your entire day, so you can create, work and stream from morning to night without reaching for a charger.
- Work at the speed of your ideas – Built with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite (12 Core) processors, Surface Laptop delivers fast, AI‑accelerated performance—making it the most powerful Surface laptop for everything from multitasking to demanding workloads.
- The ports you need – Charge on-the-go, transfer data fast, or create the ultimate desktop set up with two USB-C / USB4[4] ports.
- Built-in AI Companion – Work smarter, create freely, and communicate with confidence—Copilot[5] on Windows 11 is always there to help.
What Microsoft has said since the announcement
In a January 9, 2025 post, the Microsoft Edge Team said Microsoft continued to contribute directly to Chromium and had joined the Linux Foundation’s Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers initiative. This establishes what Microsoft reported at that time; the post does not quantify its contributions or establish the full details of activity after its publication.
For the original announcement, see Joe Belfiore’s December 6, 2018 post. The project’s initial priorities are in Microsoft’s intent document, and the later status update is in the January 9, 2025 post.
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