This year has been a huge year for 4k video. Televisions across all price ranges now come in 4k resolution, and more and more sets are featuring even more features like high dynamic range video. Of course, none of those television features mean anything without content to watch. This year saw the official release of 4k UltraHD Blu-ray discs, but it’s far more likely that most people are getting their 4k content from streaming services like Netflix and Amazon.
Microsoft made a joint announcement with Netflix to state that Microsoft Edge is the only browser capable of displaying Netflix videos in 4k. Edge, the browser that first launched with Windows 10, is the default browser in the operating system. Microsoft Edge got off to a rocky start when it was initially unveiled. Back then it was a very bare-bones browser, and it’s had to deal with the mental baggage from users linking it to the browser it replaced: Internet Explorer. However, Edge has many of the same web rendering features of its competitors, and it’s started to pick up other major features, like extensions, this year too. Microsoft is surely hoping that these features, along with better battery consumption, aided by 4k Netflix exclusivity will help to grow its market share.
Of course you’ll need more than just Microsoft Edge to enjoy 4k Netflix videos in your browser. You’re also going to need a monitor that supports the resolution, and one of the latest 7th generation Intel Core processors. You’ll also need to subscribe to the top-tier offering from the streaming video provider. In the United States that means paying $11.99/month for the 4 Screens + Ultra HD plan. While these are certainly some hefty requirements in November of 2016, many people are purchasing new computers this holiday season. Within a few months, 7th-gen Core processors will be far more common in the average computer. Let us know if you’re looking forward to streaming 4k content with Edge in the comments below.
Source: Microsoft
