# Microsoft’s Bold Strategy to Challenge Google Chrome's Dominance
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Chapter 1: The Browser Landscape
Google Chrome holds a commanding lead in the browser market with a substantial 69.28% share on desktop and laptop devices. Since surpassing Internet Explorer in 2012, Chrome has continued to expand its user base. Personally, I often rely on Chrome, despite its occasional sluggishness.
Among the challengers to Chrome, Microsoft Edge stands out as its most significant rival. However, even with improvements over the years, Edge remains far behind, capturing only 7.75% of the market share on desktop and laptop platforms.
Now, Microsoft is taking decisive action to enhance Edge's appeal.
Section 1.1: Cashback Revolution
According to the Windows Experience Blog, Microsoft has recently introduced an enticing offer for Edge users: the opportunity to earn cashback while shopping on Bing.com. This feature, known as Bing Rebates, was initially launched in beta in 2019 and officially rolled out in 2020.
To start benefiting from this cashback program, users need to be logged into their Microsoft Rewards account and have Bing Rebates activated. Shopping on Bing.com allows users to earn cashback from over 1,200 retailers, and they can also receive cashback from more than 300 retailers directly through Microsoft Edge. To check for available cashback offers, simply click the blue tag in the address bar.
Section 1.2: Bing Rebates Explained
Currently, Bing Rebates is exclusively available in the United States. A previous post from the Windows Experience Blog outlines how the cashback system works:
"Bing Rebates simplifies the cashback process and is now live in the U.S.! Users on Microsoft Bing can effortlessly find deals from participating retailers directly within search results. Gone are the days of searching various sites for cashback deals; now, when you look up products, brands, or categories, enticing Bing Rebates offers will appear right alongside the search results."
"To redeem Bing Rebates, log into Microsoft Rewards, search for your desired product, and click on a result that includes a cashback offer. You'll receive confirmation that the offer is activated. After making a purchase on the retailer's site, a confirmation email will arrive within two to three days, detailing your earned cashback. Once the merchant verifies your purchase after 90 days, you can transfer your earnings via PayPal. Joining Microsoft Rewards is necessary to cash out."
Chapter 2: Edge's Competitive Edge
The video titled "Seems Edge is Stealing Data from Chrome + AI is Sending Sites to Microsoft" discusses how Microsoft is leveraging user data and AI to enhance the Edge browser's competitiveness against Chrome.
While I don't often use Edge, I recognize that its performance and features are likely comparable to those of Google Chrome, particularly since both browsers now share the same codebase (Chromium). The cashback initiative is indeed a compelling feature.
However, I remain uncertain if this will be enough to sway me toward Edge. I prefer Chrome mainly because of its seamless integration with Google's powerful search engine, diverse tools, and overall ecosystem. In particular, I've consistently found Google search to be more effective than Bing.
Nonetheless, Microsoft's initiatives are commendable, and I appreciate their efforts. I plan to give the Edge browser a fair trial and see how it measures up.
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