Microsoft calls Chrome 'so 2008' as part of the ongoing browser war

What you need to know

• Microsoft Edge now shows a new set of prompts when users attempt to download Google Chrome.
• The prompts try to dissuade people from switching browsers by saying things like, "That browser is so 2008! Do you know what's new? Microsoft Edge."
• These messages have been spotted on Edge on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Microsoft Edge has a new set of prompts built to convince people to not download Google Chrome. These messages have been spotted in the browser on both Windows 11 and Windows 10 (via Neowin). This isn't the first tactic that Microsoft has used to attempt to keep people on Edge, though these messages are a bit different.

There are three prompts that can appear when attempting to download Chrome:

• "Microsoft Edge runs on the same technology as Chrome, with the added trust of Microsoft."
• "That browser is so 2008! Do you know what's new? Microsoft Edge."
• "'I hate saving money,' said no one ever. Microsoft Edge is the best browser for online shopping."

The final message may prove controversial, as Microsoft recently started testing out buy now, pay later functionality in Edge.

The prompts are rendered natively in Edge, making them different from messages you'd see from other websites. We've spotted the messages on Windows 11, but they don't seem to appear on all Windows 10 systems. There are reports of the prompts showing up on Windows 10, however.

Google uses a similar strategy when people navigate to its services within Edge. Opening Gmail, Google Search, and other Google services within Edge will show a prompt to try Google Chrome.

It's likely that both Google and Microsoft will continue to attempt to convert people to Chrome and Edge, respectively.