Browser vendors pen open letter to Microsoft saying "enough is enough"

We have seen Microsoft resort to questionable tactics in the past to get more customers to use Edge, such as "bribing" people to use Edge, testing new behavior so that Edge loads automatically on startup every time, and pressuring OEMs to exclusively bundle Edge in Windows PCs. However, the company often receives pushback not only from customers but also from the Browser Choice Alliance (BCA). Now, the collective has penned an open letter to the Redmond tech firm to highlight its dissatisfaction with its practices.

For those unaware, BCA is a coalition that touts several browser vendors as its members, including Google Chrome, Midori, Opera, Vivaldi, BrowserWorks, and Wavebox. Its latest open letter to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasizes that "enough is enough" and that user choice on Windows should be respected. It claimed that the company is abusing its dominant position in the PC space to push customers to its first-party browser, even if they don't want to use it.

To do this, it resorts to shady tactics, some of which we highlighted at the start of this piece. It says that Microsoft is making it very difficult for users to set their preferred browser across all touchpoints. This is problematic as PCs are becoming even more prevalent in the AI era, so user choice is being restricted across even more devices, further frustrating users (and competing browser vendors).

As such, BCA has urged Microsoft to take the following actions to level the playing field:

• Allow browser suppliers to compete for preinstallation and default deals with Windows PC manufacturers
• End dark patterns targeted at users seeking to download and effectively use other browsers (including as system-level default)
• Bring back the ability for users to make switching default browsers simple and transparent with a “single click” change for all relevant file types and apps (including PDFs)
• Open all web links in the users’ selected system-level browser of choice
• Eliminate manipulative Microsoft-exclusive banners pushing Edge in Windows, including when users are searching for other browsers
• Stop using operating system updates to push users back to Edge
• Remove the restrictive configurations of existing S mode devices that block the usage of third-party browsers.

It believes that all browsers should compete on merit, as this will drive innovation and healthy competition. Despite its strong wording and publication of the letter openly, it's unclear if Microsoft will pay any heed to the BCA and if this will result in any tangible downstream benefits. We'll likely find out in due time.