At the beginning of this year, the European Commission decided to exempt Microsoft Edge from DMA rules by not flagging it as "a core platform service." That upset third-party browser makers and advocacy groups, and they, in addition to Opera's earlier request, are now asking the EU to reconsider.
The Register obtained a copy of a letter sent to the European Commission with the request, signed by Vivaldi, Waterfox, Wavebox, and Open Web Advocacy. The companies claim that the EU's decision leaves Microsoft unpunished for unfair Edge practices in Windows, which is "the most important gateway for consumers to download an independent browser."
Practices in question include Microsoft injecting ads into other browsers' websites, constant popups with mischaracterizing messages about rivaling browsers, software obstacles when changing the default browser, and more.
The letter also says that the browser choice screen that was implemented on mobile platforms as a result of DMA worked well and proved that the rules could protect user choice while also promoting innovations.
We're appealing the European Commission's decision because we believe that you should have the same browser choice on Windows as you have on Android or iOS. Unless Edge is designated, the DMA's promise of fairness, contestability, and consumer choice will not materialize in Windows PCs.
Despite all the dark patterns and annoying popups, Microsoft Edge still has a quite low market share on the desktop browser market. Statcounter's September 2024 findings show that Edge is a little over 5%, supremely outmatched by Chrome.
Although Microsoft Edge is not designated as a core platform service, the EU recently forced Microsoft to allow uninstalling the browser in Windows 10 and 11. The change, however, does not apply to customers outside the European Union, who still have no choice other than to deal with it or use some brute force to get rid of the "Chrome Downloader," as many users jokingly call Edge.
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