Mozilla blasts Microsoft: Win 10 upgrade uses tricks to attack rivals

There is no such thing as a free lunch. The reason why Windows 10 is provided as a free upgrade is that Microsoft hopes to build an application ecosystem and make profits through subsequent cloud services. Windows 10 will also become a channel for Microsoft to promote application services.

Recently, Mozilla, the developer of Firefox, publicly criticized Microsoft for taking a step backward in browser bundling compared to the past. If users want to set a non-Microsoft product as the default browser, it will be more troublesome than in the past.
According to PCWorld, a US technology news website, Microsoft has already suffered from antitrust issues in bundling browsers with its operating system. Microsoft was accused of using the Windows operating system to promote the IE browser and suppress its competitor Netscape. After a series of fines, Microsoft allowed users to install a competitor's browser and set it as the default browser.


However, Mozilla CEO Chris Beard believes that Microsoft is using the Windows 10 upgrade to "play some tricks" to suppress rival software products.
After upgrading to Windows 10, users found that no matter which default browser was set in the old version of the system, Microsoft's newly developed Edge browser automatically became the default browser, and this browser will gradually replace the old IE browser. If you want to set another browser as the default browser, users need to go to the control panel and find the corresponding option.
Baird sent an open letter to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, criticizing Microsoft for deliberately making it more difficult to change the default browser. Baird said that taking Firefox as an example, users need to click the mouse twice as many times as before to change the default browser.
Baird said Microsoft deliberately designed the Windows 10 upgrade process to deprive consumers of alternative options for web browsers and replace them with Microsoft's own products and experiences.
According to reports, Microsoft will not maliciously uninstall rival browsers during the upgrade process. Currently, Mozilla has released web pages and videos to help users continue to use Firefox as the default browser after upgrading to Windows 10.
Baird said he was unhappy with Microsoft's move not because Mozilla was the developer of Firefox, but because Microsoft did not respect the choice of default browser for users of older versions of Windows.
Of course, not all Windows 10 users are computer experts. For many ordinary consumers, if Microsoft Edge becomes the default browser in the newly upgraded Windows 10 system, they will automatically use Edge and abandon Firefox.
However, analysts said that following the precedents of Apple and Google, in the context of operating systems becoming free software, developers bundling and promoting application software and cloud services is becoming a practice that ordinary consumers find difficult to resist.
The Associated Press also pointed out in a report that the reason why Windows 10 is free is because Microsoft plans to make money from subsequent software and cloud services. This is just a "fickle" revenue delaying tactic.
In addition, Microsoft will force subsequent system updates in Windows 10 Home Edition. Industry insiders said that Microsoft will also use forced updates to push its own new applications and services.
It is well known that Apple bundles new services and products in every iOS upgrade. For example, the "Apple Music" streaming service has gained more than 10 million free trial users by relying on the huge power of iOS bundling.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.