After killing off Internet Explorer, software giant Microsoft has given a sneak peak at its replacement web browser, peppered with references to the past.

‘Microsoft Edge’ is the next generation of net surfing, the company said at a conference on Wednesday.

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But Microsoft seemed unwilling to part entirely with its iconic browser.

The ‘Edge’ logo is almost identical to that of Explorer, and its name could hark back to the previous browser’s graphic rendering engine, EdgeHTML.

The new software has until been referred to by covert codename ‘Project Spartan’, a reference to the company’s Halo video game.

‘Edge’ will debut in the new Windows 10, which will reportedly be released by late July.