Microsoft anticipates browser selection in Europe

Users in the UK, Belgium and France will be the first to test the new system for presenting alternatives to Internet Explorer that Microsoft was forced to implement to avoid being penalized again by the European Commission for violating competition rules.

The tests start as early as next week, although a phased roll out for the whole of Europe is scheduled for March 1, explains Dave Heiner, vice president, on the company’s blog.

Microsoft therefore anticipates the defined plan that provided for the application of the browser choice system to be installed on the computer starting next month and which will cover more than 100 million PCs in Europe, offering users the option between 12 different browsers.

Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer and Opera are displayed on the home screen, in a random order, and users can also select seven more alternatives.

In a first phase, users will be faced with a message that highlights the importance of choosing the browser.

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Only then will the box with the choice of browsers be presented, in a model that had already been approved by the European Commission.

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In the case of Windows 7, where users can select programs for the taskbar, this setting will be automatically removed, although this does not mean uninstalling the computer.

According to the agreement between Microsoft and the European Commission, Windows 7 users will initially be the priority for this update, with the extension to other systems to happen gradually over the next 5 months.

The defined schedule also foresees the application of the program for five years to an average of 30 thousand new PC users.