October update of Windows 10 is not against Chrome, Firefox: Report

A test feature run by Microsoft that had warned Windows 10 Insiders against installing Chrome and Firefox, will not be part of the actual update slated for October, the media reported.

"Sources familiar with Microsoft's plans say that the particular warning would not appear in the final October update," The Verge reported late on Wednesday.

The test prompt -- "You already have Microsoft Edge, the safer, faster browser for Windows 10" -- reportedly appeared to testers when they tried to run Chrome or Firefox on the latest Windows 10 update.

Microsoft has previously pushed notifications to Chrome users to tempt them to switch to Edge, used OneDrive ads in File Explorer and preloaded a variety of apps in Windows 10.

The tech giant also tried a similar push to force Windows 10 Mail users to use Edge for all email links, but the company reversed the change after a backlash, the report noted.

It has been testing feature changes over the course of its updates, but this particular change appeared very late in the testing stages and was mentioned nowhere in the blog-posts by the firm, the report said.

Whether or not such prompts would tag along with future Windows updates, would depend on the feedback on this particular test feature.

The feedback feature is also another test for Microsoft's "Windows as a service" model that relies on testers to provide responses to the company's ongoing changes.

--IANS

rp/rt/in