Microsoft Edge's major upgrade comes with FREE 24-hour video calls and more!

Microsoft just rolled out new features of its browser Edge namely: FREE 24-hour video calls, some PDF improvements, a built-in screenshot tool, and shopping functions. 

Microsoft Edge interface

To allow longer calls for a smaller group of people

When the Zoom application boomed this year, Microsoft tried to remain relevant by making it easier for users to join Skype calls. 2020 is said to be the year for video calls so the company now is bringing new add-on to Edge new tab. It now has a dedicated "Meet Now" button but note that this is not related to Google Meet.

By clicking Meet Now, the browser will generate a video chat link that can be shared with a maximum of 50 users. They can enjoy the service for FREE without signing up or downloading an application. The Meet Now feature allows users to do screen sharing and record sessions that can last up to 24 hours. 

It's a big jump since Zoom only has a limit of 40 minutes with a maximum of 100 users while Google Meet has 60 minutes. Microsoft is assuming more people prefer longer calls with fewer participants.

The company is going to release the Meet Now upgrade to Edge this month and it's also planning to bring it to Outlook on the web and the Windows 10 taskbar soon.

Other improvements with Microsoft Edge

Microsoft also announced that the user can now you can now navigate through PDFs by clicking on the sections linked in the table of contents with Edge. More businesses are now viewing PDF files so this new feature is said to present Edge as a business browser.

Aside from this, the company is equipping Edge with a built-in screenshot. With this tool, users can capture the information they need from a webpage. The browser will automatically scroll the page to make sure it gets everything until the bottom.

Moreover, Microsoft Edge can now support themes from other Chromium-based stores, like the Chrome Web Store. They even made a new Wonder Woman theme in partnership with Warner Bros.

For shopping features, the company is bringing a feature called price comparison. As the name implies, it compares the price of a product you’re searching for across other retailers. To do this, just add a particular product to a collection then click "compare price to other retailers."

As mentioned by the source, these features are gradually being rolled out by Microsoft.

What do you guys think?

Source: VentureBeat