Google Chrome's latest update proves its resilienceGettyRepublished on January 4, with information on new Edge advances to target Chrome and the future desktop integration expected with Gemini per Googles latest pre-release build.Its no surprise Google is desperate to keep Chrome within its stable, pushing back on the DOJs campaign to force a sale of the browser. But Chrome is proving itself to be remarkably resilientjust as it is with a new update thats particularly bad news for Microsoft and its Windows OS.Microsoft has campaigned hard to switch Chrome users to its Edge browser, taking flak for the nags and ads stitched into Windows itself, including ones that interrupt Chrome installations on a PC. While this has proven broadly ineffective, Microsoft has also deployed a more potent tactic, pushing users to switch to Edge for security reasons, especially within an enterprise environment. As Ive commented, if users switch to Edge at work perhaps theyll do the same at home.But while Edge is steadily growing its market share, up more than 2% year-on-year to 13% of the desktop market, the already dominant Chrome was actually growing more quickly as 2024 ended. As picked up by Neowin from Statcounters latest numbers, Chrome opens 2025 with a strong and unreachable 66.88% market share, increasing its market share by 0.5 points in one month and 1.65 points year-over-year. As such, it seems the Microsoft Windows campaign is just not working.The latest Windows ads pushing users to the Edge cropped up in development just before the holidays, with Windows Latest reporting that Microsoft Edge wont stop nagging users to set itself as default on Windows 11. But while there is clearly some conversion its not nearly enough to dent Chrome.Read More: Microsoft Dangerous Update Warning65% Of All Windows Users Must Act NowEdger default popup in WindowsWindows LatestThese Edge popups have not failed entirely, Edges pop-up title says you should use Microsoft recommended browser settings, Windows Latest says, and claims Microsoft Edge helps you stay protected while you browse by blocking phishing and malware attacks with another bullet point: Set Microsoft Edge as your default browser. Once you select confirm, you will need to choose Set Default in the Windows settings app to make Edge your default browser.But Google is seemingly doing the same in return. If you use Edge to browse Google properties, such as Google.com and YouTube.com, you might run into pop-ups recommending Chrome for AI, safer web and other meaningful marketing gimmick features. While pop-ups are annoying, theyre now an industry standard. Expect more pop-ups on Windows 11.I have reached out to both Microsoft and Google for any comments on these latest numbers. Edge is growing and building market share, its just that Chromes lead is significant enough to make it unassailable absent a major disruption in the marketbut that may be coming.2025 could be differentwe dont yet know where the U.S. antitrust campaign will end, and while Apple has jumped to its frenemies defense on Chrome, theres a lot of ground still to cover. That said, Microsoft has its own concerns here. As Neowin explains, browser makers and advocacy groups recently sent a letter to the European Commission asking it to subject Edge to DMA regulations and mark Microsoft as a gatekeeper that hurts other businesses with predatory practices.Desktop Browser Market Share Worldwide (Jan - Dec 2024)StatcounterWith the new year barely underway, its already clear that the fun and games between Google and Microsoft is set to run and run. Google is not averse to running its own take0ver campaigns, and now as reported by Windows Latest, watch out CopilotGoogle could add Gemini Live to Windows 11 taskbar via Chrome. Ironically, this could spur Microsoft into redoubling its efforts to push Chrome users to Edge, given how critical the Copilot versus Gemini battle could become as AI evolves into the driving force within the apps and platforms we use, and more critically how we use them.While searching for recent Windows 11-related Chromium additions, Windows Latest explains, [we] spotted a reference to a Chromium patch that fixes floaty detach on Windows., which is apparently related to Gemini Live, codenamed GLIC in Chrome... Up until now, Gemini Live has been exclusive to the Gemini app on Android and iOS, but Google wants that to change, and it has plans to integrate the AI into Chromes sidebar, similar to how you can access Copilot in Microsoft Edge. But it could go a step further by adding a Gemini Live button to the taskbar... In other words, the Gemini Live interface might detach from the Chrome window and float independently. Youll be able to open that Gemini Live floating interface directly from the taskbar or system tray by clicking an icon.Edge default pushWindows LatestThis likely Chrome update is simply a taste of whats to come, with the browser wars shifting gears as the twin threats to the status quo from AI search and tighter generative AI integration come to the fore. In both these areas, Microsoft and Google are already going head-to-head, with their respective browsers simply part of the battlefield. Microsoft will hope that these disruptive forces can finally shake Chromes market dominance, while Google will clearly build from its solid base.And this comes against the backdrop of the latest Chrome security furor, with a raft of extensions having been found to be a threat to those using them. To be fair to Googles PR team, they have proven themselves to be equally resilient, batting away all manner of Chrome headlines including these latest onesthe reversal on tracking cookies, Apples fabled ad mimicking The Birds, security warning after security warning, and the unimaginably painful Privacy Sandbox regulatory stalemate. They dont need to overreactChromes user base has proven that it cares much more about the browsers features and performance than its record on privacy and security bugs.Windows Latest has also reports that AI advances [are] coming to Edge, with more AI and ML-related features on Windows 11, adding that weve spotted a new flag in Edge Canary called msTaskbarXUseSystemTray, which seems to point to some kind of Windows 11 system tray integration... It looks like Microsoft might let Edge show icons or notifications in the system tray.This goes to the heart of Microsofts browser/OS integration, which has also led to claims that Edge performance will vastly improve under Windows 11 as it operates natively. Its difficult for Chrome to compete with this as it will always present as an outsider. You may have noticed that some of Edges features have become faster and more responsive, Microsoft posted. Thats because Edge is on a journey to make all user interactions in the browser blazing fast starting with some of our newest features and core features. This has been coming for a while, though, and has not broken through.As I have reported before, of all the new advances, the Copilot AI push seems central to the Windows 11 push, and one can assume Copilot versus Gemini will take Edge versus Chrome to new heights. Could Google pull this off on Windows with Gemini Live in Chrome? says WindowsLatest. We dont know yet, but Google is certainly doing a better job than Microsoft when it comes to integrating AI into OSs. But were still only at the very beginning of that particular journey.Happy new year? Maybe not for long.