Yes, this really is free money from Microsoft. What to know.

Microsoft has launched a new rewards program offering Chrome users “real cash value” points to switch to Edge browser[1]. When users search for “Chrome” on Bing, they receive a prompt offering 1,300 Microsoft Rewards points that can be exchanged for gift cards, including on Amazon[1:1].

The Browser Choice Alliance, representing Chrome, Opera and Vivaldi, criticizes this as Microsoft’s latest tactic to manipulate browser choice, following earlier practices like “forced resets, misleading prompts, and hidden settings”[1:2].

The market context shows why Microsoft is pursuing this strategy - Edge holds less than 9% market share compared to Chrome’s 78%[1:3]. The rewards program appears targeted specifically at Chrome users, with Windows Latest noting “we’re not seeing ads for other browsers, such as Opera, Firefox or Brave”[1:4].

  1. Forbes - Microsoft Offers Chrome Users ‘Real Cash’ Rewards To Change Browser ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  • Grimy@lemmy.world
    12·
    4 hours ago

    Quick google search tells me that is about a buck fifty.

    Maybe if they paid me that for every minute I use their browser, I would give in.

  • schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de
    12·
    7 hours ago

    When I read things like this, I struggle to understand the economic logic behind it.

    How much money does Microsoft really expect to get from more people using Edge instead of Chrome? I mean, both of them are provided free of charge anyway. Does the control over the default search engine or the advertising technology or something like that really bring them more money than these “rewards” cost?

    • Zerush@lemmy.mlOP
      3·
      4 hours ago

      It’s about profiling the user, logging his activities and searches, certainly bring more money than these “rewards”.

    • Axolotl@feddit.it
      12·
      7 hours ago

      Because they can rob more data from you, make shareholders more happy and push in your throat more ads

    • JiveTurkey@lemmy.world
      6·
      6 hours ago

      It all seems even more ridiculous when you realize all of these browsers are just flavors of chrome and MS is pretending it doesn’t gather enough data from windows 11 telemetry.

  • JiveTurkey@lemmy.world
    2·
    6 hours ago

    I love that the browser choice alliance is made up of a single browser and they’re bitching about MS trying to push another flavor of chromium on us. This whole situation is a circle jerk.

    • Zerush@lemmy.mlOP
      141·
      7 hours ago

      EDGE is an usefull app for downloading an Browser in a new Windows.

      • HiddenLayer555@lemmy.mlEnglish
        4·
        5 hours ago

        EDGE is a useful app for downloading your new Linux ISO

        FTFY

        Definitely check the signature though in case Edge decides to inject some “improved UX” into Linux.

      • floofloof@lemmy.ca
        1·
        6 hours ago

        I had to set up Windows 11 on a new work computer yesterday and this was exactly the purpose of Edge. It’s incredible how hard you have to fight during the setup process not to be railroaded into accepting settings that work against you and for Microsoft. By the time I was done I felt sick and angry and there was no way I’d use Microsoft’s browser after all that. And then it turned out I wasn’t done, because it had defaulted to putting all my documents and pictures in Microsoft’s cloud even though I hadn’t asked it to, so as soon as I migrated my documents I got a warning that my cloud storage was full and I should pay them more money. So I had to undo all that, but Microsoft already got to see all my documents. Infuriating from start to finish. I am very glad to use Linux on my own machines. Windows feels like a hostile environment with traps around every corner.

        Sorry for the rant. I have to go back to that machine today and I guess I’m still angry.

        • Zerush@lemmy.mlOP
          2·
          4 hours ago

          If you have to use Windows, there are two mandatory apps with which you can turn Windows in an fast, private and submissive OS without nags and trackings, Hellzerg Optimizer and Portmaster. My tweked W11 use less than 1 GB in RAM and the GUI has nothing to do with the (horrible) original one.