I start Mondays by hunting for new Bing tricks. This time, I searched for Chrome on Bing and other places to see if Microsoft has a new idea to promote Edge. And gotcha moment for me. There’s a new Edge ad, and this one is quite interesting because Microsoft has created a full-fledged table that compares the two browsers when you try to install Chrome.
I tested it in Microsoft Edge when I’m signed into my personal Microsoft account with a Microsoft 365 subscription. I’m running Windows 11 24H2.
When I searched “Chrome,” Bing told me that everything I need to browse the internet is “right here,” and by that, Bing is obviously talking about Microsoft Edge. But if that wasn’t clear enough, there’s a short description right below the tagline.
“Microsoft Edge runs on the same technology as Chrome, with the added trust of Microsoft,” the short description reads. But it’s not exactly news. Bing always had a small banner promoting Microsoft Edge, but what caught my attention was a scoreboard or table that literally pitches Edge against Chrome and declares the former a winner.
As you can see in the above video of Bing ad first spotted by Windows Latest, Microsoft also shows quick links to apps like YouTube, Facebook, Gmail, WhatsApp, Instagram and Netflix.
This is actually smart because most casual consumers look for a browser (and Chrome comes to mind) when they want to view Gmail, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, etc.
Microsoft is trying to imply that everything, from YouTube to Facebook, already works in Edge, and you don’t need Chrome for any of this. It’s a smart and very well-executed nudge. On the right, we have a floating comparison card that pits Edge against Chrome.
The Edge logo is highlighted, the Chrome logo sits opposite, and Microsoft has carefully crafted the colours/shades for the two browsers. Edge is clearly shown as the winner with blue colour, while Chrome is “greyed out.” Microsoft argues that Edge lets you earn rewards, has a built-in VPN, and AI personalization.
It’s also “Microsoft recommended,” which means it’s more secure and designed to run on Windows 11.
Edge gets a blue tick on every line, while Chrome gets an X on every one.
The card sits above the normal results, so even though the Google Chrome download links still show up, the first thing you see is Microsoft’s pitch. There’s a “Discover more features” button to pull you deeper into Edge’s benefits. See the below screenshot I captured:
If you do scroll down and visit Google’s official website, you’ll see another pop-up that reminds you to keep using Microsoft Edge.
The cat and mouse game doesn’t stop just yet. If you again ignore Microsoft’s recommendation, move ahead with the download, then a Microsoft Edge banner from the top of Google’s website will appear. This pushes down Chrome’s download, and is the company’s final attempt to convince you.
It’s not the first time Microsoft has tried to promote its products, but it’s actually getting worse now.
Previously, Windows Latest spotted a Copilot ad when you search ChatGPT or Gemini on Bing. Now we’ve a comparison scoreboard that declares Edge a winner when you search Chrome on Bing.com.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
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