Sign in with a Google account - Discussion

This sounds like such a waste of resources. If people want a google browser/ a browser that uses google sign in, they can easily open a chrome browser. This isn't going to get anyone to switch, and I'd rather see devs and community focus on making a great browser that stands on its own with as few google services as possible. Elliot Kirk 

Elliot Kirk 

Here's the thing - if you want google browser experience, just use Chrome.
Not that difficult.
I am signed into my Google account on Edgeium and can still access everything I need to, but I'm signed into Edge with my Microsoft account. It's the best of both worlds really. I got like 97% of my data pulled over to Edgium from the Chrome data import, so I don't feel at all like I wish I could sign into my Google account in the browser. I'm using my Google services just fine being signed into the various web pages. 😕

Elliot KirkElliot one of the things I hope the Edge team is keeping in mind here is the Chrome sign-in debacle last August/September. I'm not anti-Google but they broke a lot of trust and good will with that situation. Because of this, I think it's important that it's not even possible to sign in to Edge with a Google account. Also, being able to sign-in to Edge with a Google account could reinforce the idea that Edge is just Chrome with a new coat of pain (I personally don't believe that but there are a lot of critics saying that, please don't give them more ammunition). User trust and confidence is so important these days, especially when it comes to matters of privacy, please don't allow Google account sign in with Edge.

(Google responded to the backlash last September by adding a switch to Chrome that is off by default, but this is a half measure and they didn't answer lots of the questions people had about this situation. Here is Google's blog post about it https://blog.google/products/chrome/product-updates-based-your-feedback/ )

Elliot Kirk 

Given that Google Chrome browser continues to top both desktop and phone browser usage stats each month with around 2/3 of the market, while Edge is in low single figures, it makes sense to do anything you can to attract Google Chrome user if Edge is ever going to be the serious competitor you want it to be.

For me, I have one reason for Google account integration in Edge, which dictates what I'd want integrated and what not. I require my primary browser on my Windows 10 desktop to integrate with my primary browser on my Android (8) phone with respect to syncing favourites, passwords etc, and for each to be able to send tabs to the other easily. I also don't want to use Google Chrome on my desktop. However, I will not even consider using Edge on my phone, period, because it uses controls at the bottom of the screen and I HATE bottom controls, and will not use an app with bottom controls, So, as things currently are I use Firefox on  both phone and desktop ... but am concerned that the Android Firefox preview shows that they are intending to go to bottom controls as well in the not so distant future. Now, if desktop chromium Edge could sync with my Google account to (only) the extent needed to be able to sync via that with the Android Google Chrome for favourites, passwords, maybe history and open tabs, and for the two to be able to send tabs to each other, that would put Chromium Edge in contention for being my desktop browser. Without that, so I could use desktop Edge with Android phone Google Chrome, unless your Android Edge team move to top controls only, or add an option for top controls only, desktop chromium Edge is out of contention for me whatever else you do to it. For me to even consider desktop Edge it MUST sync (and sync, not just one off import) favourites, passwords, open tabs etc with some acceptable Android browser that does NOT use bottom controls, the two main options being Android Firefox and Chrome so therefore limited syncing with either a Google or Mozilla account.

Elliot Kirk I think Chrome's and Android's usage numbers alone show that the great majority of people are not concerned about Google. The people here who think it's the other way round (let alone 99%) should get realistic.

It's perfectly fine if you don't want to use anything from Google. But going so far as to reject the option of people signing in with their Google account is ridiculous. If you don't sign in with a Google account, nothing is sent to Google. You don't need the Google sign-in code to be located to an external module or an extension or anything like that, that's paranoid nonsense. The way I see it, if Microsoft decides to cater to that kind of extremism it will do the browser more harm than good in terms of adoption. Only a tiny minority of people (face it) would refuse to use Edge for the simple fact that somewhere inside the code there is a piece of code that allows you to use a Google account - code that is not run if you don't choose this option. However, more people may give Edge a chance if they can use their Google credentials.

Also, the demand that Microsoft should only do this if Google does it first is childish. If Microsoft wants to improve their browser experience for other people and they think adding *optional* Google sign-in does just that, then there is absolutely no reason to wait for Google to come around to that first.

Personally, sign-in with Microsoft credentials is enough for me, so I don't need Google sign-in. But if Microsoft thinks there is a demand for it, they should listen to their *broad user-base* that goes beyond only this thread and absolutely go for it.

P.S.: There is absolutely no way that there are more Microsoft accounts in active use out there than Google accounts, sorry. Basically every single Android user outside of China has a Google account to access the Play Store, then there are Gmail users with iPhones and generally people who have a Google account (e.g. for Google Docs or Chrome) even without the Play Store requirement, so that adds many people *on top* of the two billions of Android users (I don't know if that figure includes Chinese devices, but probably not). Now, talking about Microsoft account holders (personal MSA, that is), who do we have? 900 million Windows 10 devices, of which we don't know how many have a Microsoft account, but definitely not close to all. Then Outlook.com users, Skype users, of which there are fewer than Gmail and the Play Store. Sorry, you need to get real here.

Elliot Kirk I think Chrome's and Android's usage numbers alone show that the great majority of people are not concerned about Google. The people here who think it's the other way round (let alone 99%) should get realistic.

It's perfectly fine if you don't want to use anything from Google. But going so far as to reject the option of people signing in with their Google account is ridiculous. If you don't sign in with a Google account, nothing is sent to Google. You don't need the Google sign-in code to be located to an external module or an extension or anything like that, that's paranoid nonsense. The way I see it, if Microsoft decides to cater to that kind of extremism it will do the browser more harm than good in terms of adoption. Only a tiny minority of people (face it) would refuse to use Edge for the simple fact that somewhere inside the code there is a piece of code that allows you to use a Google account - code that is not run if you don't choose this option. However, more people may give Edge a chance if they can use their Google credentials.

Also, the demand that Microsoft should only do this if Google does it first is childish. If Microsoft wants to improve their browser experience for other people and they think adding *optional* Google sign-in does just that, then there is absolutely no reason to wait for Google to come around to that first.

Personally, sign-in with Microsoft credentials is enough for me, so I don't need Google sign-in. But if Microsoft thinks there is a demand for it, they should listen to their *broad user-base* that goes beyond only this thread and absolutely go for it.

P.S.: There is absolutely no way in hell that there are more Microsoft accounts in active use out there than Google accounts, sorry. Basically every single Android user outside of China has a Google account to access the Play Store, then there are Gmail users with iPhones and generally people who have a Google account (e.g. for Google Docs or Chrome) even without the Play Store requirement, so that adds many people *on top* of the two billions of Android users (I don't know if that figure includes Chinese devices, but probably not). Now, talking about Microsoft account holders (personal MSA, that is), who do we have? 900 million Windows 10 devices, of which we don't know how many have a Microsoft account, but definitely not close to all. Then Outlook.com users, Skype users, of which there are fewer than Gmail and the Play Store. Sorry, you need to get real here.

Elliot Kirk 

While I get everyone's concern with Google and their data, simply removing the option altogether is really not a solution. Just because of the few that do not want to use Google, that should not mean that everyone else should be barred from it.

I have installed Edge Chromium on my laptop, which I use at work, and taken it for a test drive all day.

At work all our accounts a GSuite accounts, that means I have to use Google, and that also means I do not have an option of just using something else and not syncing the account. While Edge was fine for general browsing, I can't make the switch unless it allows me to have freedom with what I want to use or sync.

Similarly at home I have multiple google devices and services, which means I would, again, be barred from them. Now this might sound all fine, but it really isn't because the amount of time and effort it would take me to transfer my entire ecosystem from Google to Microsoft is both impractical and unwanted. For this to be a browser that allows a full switch it needs to play nice with the rest, because who wants to use a browser for this and a browser for that? It just becomes a hassle and people jump ship back to Google Chrome.

So while I understand that some people might not want to use Google, I strongly disagree it should be totally removed. Keyword is Option.

Honestly I don't mind having an option to have Google Sync and other sync providers.
But only if it's going to be an optional opt-in feature e.g. you active sync provider you want in the settings and it starts to download necessary 3rd-party modules. Unless Microsoft somehow finds a way to ship those providers without enforcing their telemetry/data collection.
Not sure how realistic any of it sounds though but if something works out in the end, I won't say no to that.

Elliot Kirk  "Thanks for your feedback requesting the ability to sign in with a consumer Google account. From what we’re hearing, you’d like the ability to bring over data from Chrome, use your Google services and keep Microsoft Edge and Chrome in sync."

I do not use Google Chrome because Chrome ties me into Google's data-mining operation, and I will not use EdgeChromium if the browser integrates Google services in the browser.

Microsoft disentangled EdgeChromium from Google services early on, and it seems to me that it would be a serious step backward if Microsoft backed off from that design philosophy.

Few Linux builds use Chromium as the default browser (most use Firefox instead) in recent years, because most Linux users do not want to tied into Google; according to available studies, roughly 80% of Linux users prefer Firefox. I suspect that the same is true of most EdgeClassic users.

Having noted that, however, I understand why Microsoft is considering this move in order to lure Google users over to EdgeChromium.  That might be a rational move.

It seems to me that how Google integration is implemented makes a big difference, probably the defining difference.

If Microsoft reintegrates Google services into the browser embedded in Windows 10, that is a roadblock for all of us who don't want to be tied into the Google infrastructure.  If, on the other hand, EdgeChromium is Google-free as embedded into Windows 10, but allows those users who want to be tied into the Google infrastructure to have the option of activating that integration through a toggle or an extension, that is a different situation, and I would not object to that implementation.

Elliot Kirk 

A reply I posted from over Here...... 

I'm sorry, but if I wanted a browser that the worlds largest data mining company had any access I'd be using Chrome....    And I truly hope that you are removing Anything Google from the Chromium coding.  

Dennis5mile