Microsoft has updated its Edge browser with native support for Apple Silicon, promising optimized performance for Macs with the M1 chip.
The update was announced through the official Edge developers Twitter account, which invited users to download the new version from the Microsoft Edge Canary Channel, a subsection of the Microsoft Edge Insiders website.
You asked, and we delivered! 💪 Native support for Mac ARM64 devices is now available in our Canary channel. Download it today from our Microsoft Edge Insiders website! https://t.co/qJMMGV0HjU
— Microsoft Edge Dev (@MSEdgeDev) December 16, 2020
Microsoft didn't specify what kind of performance improvements users can expect from the M1-optimized version of its browser, but if it's anything like Firefox's supercharged Apple silicon update, loyal Edge users should have something to celebrate.
Earlier this week, Apple shared a list of popular apps optimized for M1 Macs that are available in the Mac App Store, such as Pixelmator Pro, Adobe Lightroom, Affinity Designer, Darkroom, Fantastical, OmniFocus, BBEdit, Instapaper, and Twitter. Apple boasted that apps optimized for the M1 chip deliver "game-changing speed and capabilities."
Last month, Apple released its first Macs with the M1 chip, including a new 13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini.
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too.
2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple didn't update the...
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors.
Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report.
iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design
The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device.
Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Faster Uses far less memory with all the same tabs and extensions enabled (around 1/3 the total Chrome uses) They stripped out all of Google's tracking services, using strictly the rendering engine To that previous point, there's far more Privacy settings that are very easy to find, like Brave, to give more granular control Has PlayReady DRM in addition to WideVine, so you can use it for more media sites Tracking Prevention (like Safari) by default And for those in an older Enterprise Corpo world... IE mode
One of the biggest problems with Windows 10 for ARM was the lack of updates to existing software making it a difficult transition to make (along with poor chip support - the processors that were chosen were not good ones).
One of the biggest worries with moving to the ARM chips was going to be software support. And the turn around from developers has been absolutely fantastic. It's already becoming a non-issue only a month into to the transition.
Subjective opinion incoming: I really like Microsoft Edge (and have been using this Canary release most of the day). Edge features many of the benefits of Google Chrome (website compatibility, etc) without having to use a Google product. This M1 version is very quick indeed and feels snappy. According to Activity Monitor, memory usage is on par with Safari in terms of general browsing (sits around 10% of CPU usage). I haven't tested video playback within each browser, mind, and I'm on a Mac Mini, so I can't speak to any effects on battery life.
One of the biggest problems with Windows 10 for ARM was the lack of updates to existing software making it a difficult transition to make (along with poor chip support - the processors that were chosen were not good ones).
One of the biggest worries with moving to the ARM chips was going to be software support. And the turn around from developers has been absolutely fantastic. It's already becoming a non-issue only a month into to the transition.
At this point I'm more worried about Intel support in a few years. Can't be long before there are ARM-only apps.
