It was first reported a couple of weeks ago that Microsoft is working on a new web browser for Windows 10. Images of alleged pre-release builds have also been leaked online. Today some new details about the Spartan Windows 10 browser have surfaced, apparently the browser will have certain features that aren’t even present in its competitors.
Citing “sources familiar with the company’s Windows plans” The Verge reports that Spartan is going to have inking support which will allow users to annotate a web page using a stylus and then share those notes or annotations. This feature will be powered by OneDrive cloud so those notes will be shared across all devices that OneDrive account is being used. Multiple users will be able to annotate on shared web pages, and even share edits on the fly.
Cortana, which will be integrated into Windows 10, is said to play an important role in Spartan as well. It will be used to bring up information on hotel bookings, flights, package tracking and more inside the URL bar. Cortana search will also be accessible from inside the web browser.
Microsoft is reportedly developing Spartan as a single browser which can be used across devices like PCs, smartphones and tablets. This means the company will release it as a standalone app in the Windows Phone store so that the browser can easily be updated and there’s no need to push out software updates for the whole OS only for this purpose.
No word as yet if Microsoft plans on launching Spartan on other platforms as well.
Microsoft is not sharing any details about this new browser right now and that’s because the consumer announcement of Windows 10 is slated for January 21st, and that’s when we’re going to hear about it.