Microsoft has taken to a new blog post to describe improvements it is planning for the Edge browser and EdgeHTML, the engine that powers the browser, in 2016. A number of areas that the team discusses have been laid out before, but there are some interesting areas of note for developers. For example, there are a number of ways Microsoft is looking to improve the accessibility features of the engine in 2016, including:
- Modernize our accessibility system to support HTML5 and CSS3 on Windows 10.
- Enable HTML and Core Accessibility API mappings.
- Provide Accessible Name and Description computation and API mappings.
- Add accessible HTML5 controls and new semantic elements.
- Improve high contrast support.
- Modernize caret browsing and new input modalities.
- Improve visual impairment readability, focus, and selection.
- Deliver developer tools for building and testing accessible sites.
Likewise, Microsoft says it is working on areas of general fundamental changes that should improve performance, including isolating Adobe Flash as a separate process and pausing unnecessary content, better keyboard and scrolling performance and more. The company also says that extension support is well underway, with the intention
Finally, the team says it is working hard to implement a host new web standards into the browser's engine. One of particular interest is the FIDO 2.0 security standard, which Microsoft says will enable users to use Windows Hello to login to websites using the correct APIs.
For a much more in-depth look at where Microsoft is planning to take the Edge browser in 2026, be sure to check out the full blog post.
Source: Microsoft
