Microsoft uncloaks IE10 preview

Browser

Microsoft has unveiled an Internet Explorer (IE) 10 preview, just weeks after the official release of IE9.

The firm has sought to build on the HTML5 capabilities of IE9, ensuring the operating system and the browser work together to offer the best experience for the end user, Microsoft said yesterday.

"We built IE9 from the ground up for HTML5 and for Windows to deliver the most native HTML5 experience and the best web experience on Windows," said Dean Hachamovitch, corporate vice president for Internet Explorer, on a blog.

"IE10 continues on IE9's path, directly using what Windows provides and avoiding abstractions, layers, and libraries that slow down your site and your experience."

Hachamovitch said Microsoft was keen to start getting the developer community involved immediately, with three weeks of IE10 development already under the Redmond giant's belt.

He talked up the benefits of the native experience, claiming vast performance improvements over non-native deployments.

"Native implementations are just better for developers, consumers, and businesses. They keep websites from falling behind applications in performance and other important ways," Hachamovitch said.

"While using cross-platform, non-native compatibility layers makes browser development easier, they don't necessarily make a better browser. Browsers that use modern operating systems more directly deliver better experiences."

Microsoft did not offer a release date for IE10, but it appears the firm is joining other browser makers in introducing quicker release cycles.

Mozilla recently announced Firefox 5 would be released in June as it revealed plans to accelerate its development process. Google updates Chrome every six weeks.

You can download the IE10 preview here.

Tom Brewster

Tom Brewster is currently an associate editor at Forbes and an award-winning journalist who covers cyber security, surveillance, and privacy. Starting his career at ITPro as a staff writer and working up to a senior staff writer role, Tom has been covering the tech industry for more than ten years and is considered one of the leading journalists in his specialism.

He is a proud alum of the University of Sheffield where he secured an undergraduate degree in English Literature before undertaking a certification from General Assembly in web development.