Forum Discussion
ETA for ARM / Snapdragon support of Edge Chromium
Hi ChromeRefugee, I am jumping straight to the end to respond. We are working on a native ARM64 version of Microsoft Edge. You can read about it here: https://blogs.windows.com/msedgedev/2019/04/08/microsoft-edge-preview-channel-details/#d4RSZSQO3yPS3Bv6.97. While we don't have anything to announce now, please be sure that we are still working diligently on bringing our new browser to ARM64 devices as soon as possible. Thanks - Elliot
CharbaxSorry for posting these links here, but they've been leaked since June, I had expected we might have a Beta ARM64 channel in that Edge Insider thing by now, what's the reason we haven't got it yet? I would hope it's imminently going to be officially available since the Surface X is just about getting released today, the negative reviews due lack of native browser are coming out. Both Engadget and The Verge seem to be using the emulated 32bit Chrome on these no wonder the performance is sub par. Do these people even know only Firefox has an official available ARM64 beta browser at this point?
What do we have to do on ARM64 for now? Use the old non Chromium Edge? Use Firefox beta? That's it?
I understand doing a browser is insane work and huge probably many people are involved and working hard on it. But is it not yet ready at least for those insider type people in that insider beta page thingy? Would something about it be unsafe to release it officially there yet?
Indeed ARM64 version should be MUCH higher on the priority list - especially since the Surface Pro X is releasing. The idiots form Verge and Engadget are of course using 32 bit x86 version of Chrome to conclude about the performance of the Surface Pro X.
Can we at least getting an outlook of when a beta version will become available? The last time ARM64 version of Chromium was mentioned was from April!
Gerdi444 I agree that we need "Edgium" on ARM soon, but I can't blame The Verge for pointing out what happens when you use Chrome right now. I think it's pretty common for a user to try to install and use Chrome. The problem is that this will actually succeed, and that it will run badly. And as far as I know there are no hints by Win10 ARM on the best browser choices. The Pro X doesn't say "You're running an unoptimized browser", so how will the user ever found out that Firefox ARM exists, or that Edge Chromium ARM will be a thing?
Ideally Edge Chromium on ARM should have been pre-installed as the default browser, with some intro text why it's the best choice. That ship has sailed, so I'm curious how they're going to turn around public perception, and how they're going to get users to switch to Edge Chromium on ARM.
ChromeRefugee I agree I think Windows 10 on Arm needs to have some kind of "app update alerts system" in that bottom right corner, that informs whenever the user uses an emulated app and most importantly informs the user when the ARM64 recompiled version of that specific app becomes available with a "This app is now available recompiled for ARM64 with better performance, would you like to update this app? Yes / Later" or another altert text like "This app which you are using has not yet been recompiled for ARM64, it's being emulated. Would you like to see a list of alternative apps that are compiled for the ARM64 architecture? For example Firefox and Beta Edge Chromium browsers are currently available. Yes / Later" Same thing might show if for example GIMP is ready on ARM64 but some of the Adobe series isn't yet ARM64 compiled. I would expect Microsoft/Qualcomm also give all the support incentives necessary to convince a major app developer like Adobe to port their whole app suite to ARM64 as soon as possible, so this isn't a big negative on the platform anymore. To make sure the top most important productivity, editing, graphic apps all are available and recompiled. And any user attempting to install the x86 versions of any of these should get a notice if there is the ARM64 version available somewhere to download and install instead. And of course every major open source project, Microsoft has hopefully got a team going out to recompile each project already, just as they already recompiled VLC a while ago like that which is great.
Charbax and when users try to install games, the system should suggest that the user may consider signing up to a cloud gaming service like Shadow, perhaps even partner with Shadow to offer people a free trial of that service, at least offer incentive to Shadow to provide their client compiled for the ARM64 which they haven't yet. Or link users up to the xcloud cloud gaming service even to Google Stadia whenever that one becomes available. Same warning or suggestion may appear if the user tries to install a too performance hungry app like a big video editor app, while I'd love to see all major video editors like Vegas, Avid, Premiere and others recompiled for ARM64, it may perform best to run those on a service like Shadow which is what I have been doing for all my video editing needs on my Snapdragon 850 laptop for over a year now.
