Microsoft's new Spartan browser has made its debut in the latest build of the Windows 10 Technical Preview. Spartan is the pared-back browser that will replace Internet Explorer as the default web browser in the next-generation operating system.
Spartan is the only notable new feature in Build 10049, which has been made available for download only to those on the "fast" ring of the Windows Insider programme. The latest update is otherwise a collection of a bug fixes, indicating Microsoft is beginning to lock down Windows 10 ahead of this summer's final release.
Spartan isn't yet feature complete, with even basic functions such as browsing history not yet added to the browser. However, this version does include some of the more advanced features, such as the ability to annotate web pages and the Reading List/Reading View, which allows you to save web articles for later browsing in an ad-stripped window. The Cortana voice assistant is also built in for US testers, although - like the Cortana search bar on the Windows 10 taskbar - it's not yet available for those who choose UK English as their default language.
Spartan is pinned to the taskbar in the new Windows 10 build, while Internet Explorer is relegated to a pre-installed app that has to be searched for. Microsoft last week announced it was ditching plans to offer the Internet Explorer rendering engine as an option within Spartan, which has its own "Edge" engine. This means businesses will need continued access to Internet Explorer to run some legacy web applications, forcing Microsoft to keep bundling IE in Windows 10, even if it won't be immediately visible to users.
Microsoft has yet to decide on the final branding for Spartan, which is only a working codename, but has confirmed that it won't be using the Internet Explorer moniker.
Spartan will be used across all versions of Windows 10, including the variant for smartphones. Microsoft is planning to release a new version of the OS for phones in the next fortnight, with many more Lumia devices now being added to the list of Windows 10-compatible handsets.