Microsoft to launch beta version of Edge on Linux, new Outlook design for Mac in October

Microsoft: Microsoft is all set to launch the beta version of its browser Edge on Linux next month! Kicking off Microsoft Ignite 2020, the tech giant announced that it was one of the ways in which it hopes to empower individuals and organizations in the working environment of the new normal. Microsoft’s plans for Edge on Linux were announced a few months ago, and now the users would be able to get a sneak peak of the feature next month by downloading the beta version.

The preview would be available at Microsoft’s site for Edge Insider or through the native package manager. The tech giant, however, has not yet indicated whether there would be any features found on Edge for Windows or MacOS platforms that would not be included in the Linux version, but the giant said that it wanted all users to be able to access Edge across platforms and devices, and so, it is expected that most of the features would make it through.

Microsoft has been revamping a lot of its products, and it recently decided that it was time for curtains to come down on its iconic browser Internet Explorer, seeing as the browser had drastically lost its popularity to competitors like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Safari. Edge was Microsoft’s answer. And the launch on Linux seems like another step in Microsoft’s strategy to recapture its market share from the widely used Google Chrome and a distant second Safari.

Meanwhile, another change would come in October. Microsoft Outlook’s new look for Apple’s Mac would be launched next month. The tech giant had been trying out the new look for Mac for some time, and has now finally settled on a look that would be launched. The new look would have rounded corners and Fluent icons, and the new design has been made for all MacOS, including the upcoming MacOS Big Sur. Apart from this, the Ribbon Interface of Microsoft would be removed from the new look. The emails would have single-line views, and the ‘compose new mail’ panel would also be changed. Apart from that, the panels would be collapsible, making Outlook screen space optimised.

Apart from that, the working of contacts would also change in the new version, and the People section would separate contacts and co-workers from email messages as well as events. Viewing frequent contacts would become easier, and existing contacts could also be marked as favourites.

With changes also being made in the Calendar and Search features, the Outlook for Mac would include some changes to every feature it offers.