At the end of 2014, it was announced that a new browser called Spartan for now would be released along with Internet Explorer on Microsoft’s Windows 10.

According to sources who spoke to The Verge, Spartan will be installed with advanced features not seen on other currently-existing browsers.

One of the biggest features is a new inking support that will let users explain a particular web page using a stylus. The annotator can then send their notes to other workers or friends. Microsoft’s OneDrive storage will not power the web note service. Instead, they will “be stored on a copy of a web page that can be accessed by any browser across multiple platforms.”

As the notes are shared, other users will be able to make edits and add their own notes, similar to Google Docs.

Also included will be Microsoft’s Cortana, which will helps Windows 10 users attain information on hotel bookings, flights, package tracking, and other data within the address bar. If you’re using Cortana to track a particular flight or package, you can type in the airliner or delivery company in the browser’s address bar. Immediately after, Spartan users will be able to view delivery and flight status.

People are often doing multiple things at once, and this can end in multiple browser tabs that give a cluttered display. Microsoft’s new browser will have an option that groups tabs together in any way the user wishes.

Spartan will be available across all PCs, phones, and tablets as an app in the Windows Store app. Still, the browser’s app won’t be universal yet. The desktop version will look similar to Chrome.

Spartan is just a codename for now, so it’s unclear if Microsoft will keep the name or associated the new browser with the Internet Explorer brand.

Microsoft is holding a Windows 10 event on January 21st, so it’s likely Spartan will be discussed in more detail.

[PhotoCredit: Softpedia,]