Internet Explorer maybe forgotten by all but the folks working at Microsoft themselves, but it is poised to make a huge comeback with the next iteration of Windows. Codenamed Spartan, Internet Explorer 11 will include a host of new features not found in rival browsers. Chief among the plans for Spartan is new inking support that allows Windows 10 users to annotate a web page with a stylus and send the notes and annotations to a friend or colleague. The web note service will be powered by Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage, meaning notes will be stored on a copy of a web page that can be accessed by any browser across multiple platforms.
The other much anticipated feature in Spartan is the integration of Microsoft’s Cortana digital assistant. Microsoft is planning to use Cortana to surface information on flights, hotel bookings, package tracking, and other data within the traditional address bar. If you use Cortana to track a particular flight and start to search for “American Airlines” in the browser address bar, it will automatically display tracked flights and allow Spartan users to view the status of the flight directly.
Microsoft will also be introducing a new way to group tabs together to declutter the occasionally messy interface of multiple browser tabs. Spartan will allow users to group tabs however they want, making it easier, for example, to split up personal tabs from work ones. The company is also making Spartan a Windows Store app, enabling the company to quickly and easily update the browser in future.
Stay tuned.
