Microsoft has removed its old Internet Explorer browser from the latest Windows 10 preview build, and only Microsoft Edge is now the default web browser available. For a browser that was more in the 90s than it is today, it made less and less sense to keep Internet Explorer alive, especially with the advancement of the Edge browser. So, since it's built on a very old foundation, it's no surprise that it's already gone from the internal development pipeline. While this may be a source of nostalgia for some, it was a bummer for many others.
What version of Internet Explorer is it disappearing from?
Since Microsoft announced that Windows 10 will be an ongoing platform instead of being replaced by Windows 11 in the future, major updates to the operating system will be released over the years. But the Insider program was a way to let users download development builds of Windows 10 with new features, before they were rolled out on official channels. It also allowed events like the Bug Bash program to reward users for finding bugs through a series of tasks. It is also said to show upcoming features that Build 2021 may announce. This also applies to outdated applications, such as Internet Explorer. Build 21387 of its Insider Build states that "The Internet Explorer 11 desktop app is now retired as of this Insider Preview build." With Microsoft Edge now the company's default browser since 2015, there was no point in installing two browsers simultaneously on Windows 10, even though Internet Explorer is officially retiring next year.
Analysis: a tale of two browsers
Internet Explorer has always been considered the black sheep of the Microsoft product line, going back to version 6.5. It's hard to imagine Microsoft didn't have a tabbed browser until Mozilla's Firefox browser forced it in 2006. Microsoft Edge is considered a fresh start in the corporate web browser space. Internet Explorer has too many negative connotations, which means it's a bit surprising that it lasts this long. However, time will tell if Edge will ever regain the market share that Internet Explorer once had, especially with the various platforms we use to browse the web in these modern times. via CNET