Goodbye IE? Report Tips New Microsoft Web Browser

Heads up, Internet Explorer fans. Microsoft's Web browser might soon be a thing of the past.

According to ZDNet, Redmond is working on a brand new browser for Windows 10 with an experience similar to Mozilla's Firefox and Google's Chrome. Forget Internet Explorer 12; this will be something entirely new.

Codenamed Spartan, the new "light-weight" browser will use Microsoft's Chakra JavaScript engine and Trident rendering engine (as opposed to WebKit), ZDNet's sources say. But Internet Explorer isn't going away completely.

"Windows 10 (at least the desktop version) will ship with both Spartan and IE 11," ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley wrote in the report. The new browser will be available for both desktop and mobile devices running Windows 10.

One detail still up for debate — what Microsoft will call the new browser. At this point, Spartan is just a codename, and it's likely Microsoft will change the moniker before the browser's debut, but there's no word on what it might be called.

Microsoft has yet to make any announcements about Spartan, and declined to comment when contacted by PCMag, noting that it has "nothing to share."

Microsoft is hosting a press event on Jan. 21, where it is expected to provide more information about the consumer version of Windows 10, so perhaps we will get more Spartan details then.

For more, check out Which Browser is Best? Chrome vs. Firefox vs. Internet Explorer.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes.

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app.

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth.

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light.

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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