Microsoft next year will change its automated update process for the Internet Explorer (IE) Web browser to push out the latest version of the browser for XP, Vista and Windows 7 without the notification-style install prompt presented to the end user today.
Rival Google Chrome has had automatic, no-questions-asked updates since its release in 2008.
For those who have opted into the general Windows Update process, the current yes-or-not style install prompt for IE has confused the end user and has slowed browser upgrades, says Ryan Gavin, general manager of IE at Microsoft. Simply updating IE automatically would be a more secure approach, he says.
Microsoft’s plan, which will commence in January for certain parts of the world, appears to be getting the thumb’s up from some security researchers.
The automatic update process is expected to only occur when a major new browser version is made available, and would likely happen only about once or twice a year depending on the Microsoft schedule for completed new versions of the browser.
