IE7 will have tabs

One of the Internet Explorer 7 developers confirmed another rumor about the upcoming browser update: it will offer tabbed browsing. This confirmation comes as the IE7 team is preparing for the beta release of the browser this summer.

The announcement was also littered with reasons for the lack of tabbed browsing in earlier versions of IE. Specifically mentioned is the "extensibility" of IE--the ability to install third-party programs that add new functionality. Despite the reasons given for the lack of tabs, the developer did admit that the choice to not include tabbed browsing in an earlier version of IE was a mistake.

He also said that the tabs in the beta version of IE7 will be very basic. The intent is to allow developers and testers to use the new browser and report any issues found with the tabs when they are used in conjunction with other tools. The final release of IE7 will include more full-featured tab options.

If you want to use tabbed browsing in Internet Explorer before the release of IE7, look for the next update to MSN Desktop Search that will provide tabs in IE6.

For more, see the IE Blog and CNET.