Cloud technology is advancing rapidly, making it more and more popular. For example, services like Nvidia GeForce Now allow us to play AAA games on almost any device, without needing any specific hardware. But gaming is just the beginning. In the near future, we’ll be able to do almost anything by streaming our tasks in a virtual environment. Microsoft has already taken a step in this direction by securing a patent for a multi-device virtual web browser. Here are the details…

Microsoft’s Virtual Web Browser Patent Could Make the Internet More Accessible

Patent offices play a critical role in helping us anticipate the future moves of technology companies. Recently, Microsoft submitted a patent application for a technology that describes a virtual web browser capable of running on any device. For those who might not be familiar, a virtual browser is a web browser that operates within a virtual machine. This essentially means that the browser runs in an isolated environment, separate from the host operating system and other applications, creating a secure and isolated space.

For instance, this approach allows you to use Chrome without worrying about the technical specifications and RAM of the device you are using. Whether you have an old laptop or a smartwatch with limited hardware, thanks to Microsoft’s virtual web browser patent, you’ll be able to browse the internet as you please. According to the company’s application, here’s how it will work.

  1. The system uses a virtual browser located on a proxy server. This virtual browser does all the heavy lifting – retrieves, renders, and encodes web pages for all devices.
  2. The devices themselves only need to be able to decode and display the web pages. They don’t need to have their own web browsers or be able to handle user inputs.
  3. The system also includes a touch controller that can be a remote control for devices with limited or no user input capabilities.

However, the fact that the company is getting a patent in this area doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll see a multi-device virtual web browser anytime soon. Technology companies obtain hundreds, even thousands of patents every year. Unfortunately, while many of these may seem like great ideas at first glance, only a few of them actually materialize.

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