Skip to main content

Microsoft Edge is losing to Safari, despite its push for AI

Many desktop browsers continue to compete for users, and in April 2023, Apple Safari overtook Microsoft Edge in global market share, according to data collected by StatCounter.

Though the browsers’ market share was still neck-and-neck, Safari’s April figures come in at 11.89%, while Edge closed the month at 10.95%. Even so, both browsers continue to lag behind Google Chrome, which maintains its number one spot with in excess of 60%, as pointed out by MSpoweruser.

According to StatCounter, Apple Safari has surpassed Microsoft Bing for desktop users for the month of April 2023.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The figures are especially interesting considering Microsoft’s massive investment in artificial intelligence in recent months. The brand’s multibillion dollar partnership with OpenAI has allowed it to inundate its Edge browser and Bing search with the ChatGPT chatbot, in an effort to attract more users. However, it appears there is still work to do on Microsoft’s front.

The AI-updated Edge browser and Bing search might have sparked interest in users upon release, however, the recent figures could come down to the number of devices in circulation.

Notably, in May 2022, Atlas VPNshared a study detailing that Apple’s Safari browser was serving over 1 billion people across all device forms, including iPhones and Mac computers. In comparison, Microsoft Edge served approximately 212,695,000 users. While Microsoft Edge is compatible with rival devices and systems, the brand might not have as big a reach given that it relies primarily on desktops.

Microsoft currently does not make its own smartphones en masse, outside of novelty devices such as the Surface Duo. Meanwhile, Apple also features its Safari browser on iPhones of all generations. Google partners with multiple smartphone brands globally that use its Chrome browser, in addition to using the app on its own Pixel devices.

Microsoft continues to add features to the browser to encourage users to favor Edge and Bing over other browsers and search engines. One Reddit user pointed out that if you search “Google,” Bing will give you reasons why Bing is preferable. Another Reddit user found a feature that pulls up a split-screen with Bing chat results when users attempt to use Google Bard on Microsoft Edge.

Apple has made similar moves, such as placing an age restriction of 17 and older on AI-inundated apps, such as Microsoft Edge and the email app BlueMail, which includes ChatGPT features, on the Apple App Store. Meanwhile, they have no age restriction on the Google Play Store.

Fionna Agomuoh
Fionna Agomuoh is a technology journalist with over a decade of experience writing about various consumer electronics topics…
AMD is losing the AI battle, and it’s time it started to worry
RX 7900 XTX and RX 7900 XT on a pink background.

Both AMD and Nvidia make some of the best graphics cards on the market, but it's hard to deny that Nvidia is usually in the lead. I don't just mean the vast difference in market share. In this generation, it's Nvidia that has the behemoth GPU that's better than all the other cards, while AMD doesn't have an answer to the RTX 4090 just yet.

Another thing that AMD doesn't have a strong answer to right now is artificial intelligence. Even though I'm switching to AMD for personal use, it's difficult to ignore the facts: Nvidia is winning the AI battle. Why is there such a marked difference, and will this become more of a problem for AMD down the line?
It's not all about gaming

Read more
Opera is adding AI features to its browser following ChatGPT surge
Opera GX web browser.

The web browser Opera is the latest to share plans for AI integration with ChatGPT. Its parent company, the Chinese brand Kunlun Tech, first announced its plans on Wednesday with few details, according to CNBC.

However, the Norway-based Opera has since revealed some of the details of how its ChatGPT-based browser will work.

Read more