The use of Chrome storage should decrease because Google is already adopting the technology in Microsoft Edge for Windows 10.
Stephen Shankland / CNET
Many of us complain about the browser’s memory usage, a problem that worsens as browsers become more powerful software basics and websites expand accordingly. However, Microsoft Edge technology could help you reduce memory usage on Windows by up to 27%, and the technology is also used in Google Chrome.
Microsoft’s Edge team added the memory upgrade with the Windows 10 May update, said Kim Denny, Edge Principal Product Manager, this week. The benefits are made possible by modernizing the Windows 10 memory management system.
And Bruce Dawson, a Google Chrome programmer, added a patch that allows Chrome to use the same underlying technology. Use of Chrome storage should also decrease, he said on Chrome’s bug tracker, but Google needs to iron out “mysterious” issues when creating the new version before it shows up on your laptop.
Memory is a critical but scarce resource on all computing devices, and any success in reducing memory is important. As browsers of apps that display documents have grown into an increasingly powerful foundation for apps, their memory usage has also increased. And nowadays, web apps are usually based on ready-made frameworks that simplify the creation of software but can consume memory.
With Microsoft’s decision to remove its browser base and switch to Google’s open source Chromium software, Chrome and Edge become close relatives. Microsoft released the revised Edge in January, but the company is still testing it before it is released to everyone through its Windows update service.
Microsoft’s contributions to Chromium were significant. To date, more than 3,000 contributions to the Chromium code base have been made.
Google has cited Microsoft’s contributions, including improvements to the Chromium interface features such as buttons and sliders, and a redesigned grid layout technology designed to make life easier for web developers when they have trouble using their websites in browsers that are slightly different function.
But it’s not all collegiality.
Google shows Edge users ads in properties like Search, Gmail, and Google Docs that ask them to switch to Chrome. Microsoft also instructs Outlook users to switch from Chrome to Edge.
Look at that:
How Chrome changed web browsers 10 years ago
2:24