Well, this is alarming! Why would a market leader try to persuade users this way? Google apparently does not mind, as it has been found trying to divert folks away from using Chrome extensions.
Folks using the new Edge browser, more specifically.
As spotted, when people running the new web browser visited the Chrome Web Store, they were treated to a message that read “Google recommends switching to Chrome to use extensions securely” right up there at the top.
Surprising, because Chrome extensions work perfectly on the new Edge.
And what’s even more surprising is that this warning is not displayed for other Chromium browsers, which there are many.
At the end of the day, the message may prove to be a little alarming for unsuspecting users that may be spooked into thinking that using extensions this way may not entirely be secure.
People who are not switching to Edge from Chrome and want to bring over their favorite addons might be alarmed with this message of potential threats. Not everyone is savvy with technology, after all. And these users seem to be the target here.
Google, obviously, identifies browser versions based on the User Agent string, and can warn users or outright block services if a particular string is not whitelisted.
But seeing both Microsoft and Google were working together to contribute to Chromium recently, it is odd to see Google take such steps to persuade users away from the new Edge.
Particularly, at this time for the new web browser.
