Why Windows 10's new 'Sets' feature is key to the future of Windows

Windows 10 'Sets' is a new feature that allows apps and web pages to be grouped together under one tabbed window. But Sets is about a lot more than just tabs.

Late last week, Microsoft released a new Insider Preview build of the next major Windows 10 update coming later this year that includes an early version of a new feature called "Sets". It essentially takes the tabbed browsing interface found in Microsoft Edge and bolts it on top of normal apps, allowing the user to group both apps and websites under a single tabbed window. This is an interesting play for an OS called "Windows," but that's because Sets isn't just about grouping apps together under one window; it's about Microsoft Edge and the future of Windows itself.

There are a lot of layers to Sets. For starters, it brings a new user interaction model to Windows that lets users sync entire groups of apps and web pages across devices. More importantly, however, it integrates Microsoft Edge into the workflow of millions of people without them necessarily noticing. This is important, because the majority of people today use Chrome, and refuse to even try and use other browsers, out of habit if nothing else.

That's a real problem for Microsoft and its Edge browser. The mindset of many is if it's not Chrome, it's not an option. If Microsoft wants to invest in things like Windows 10 S, and in the long run, Windows Core OS, it needs to shake people's dependency on Chrome, and simply building a good browser isn't enough. That's where Sets comes in.

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