IE Losing Edge In Browser Popularity

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Browsing statistics for October have produced a couple of interesting results. Internet Explorer’s share of browser usage worldwide fell below 50% for the first time in more than ten years. The last time lass than half of all browsing was done through Microsoft’s trusty inbuilt browser, less than half the world had been online. ArsTechnica also points out that Google’s Chrome browser overtook Firefox for visitors to their site, which according to Ars makes it the technologist’s browser of choice. What is does signify is that Chrome is now a heavyweight, and still gaining fast. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer still accounts for 52% of desktop browser usage, but even that is down nearly 2% since September. Admittedly 94% of Web traffic is desktop browsing, with Android, iOS and the other smartphone browsers responsible for just 6% of sites visited on the world wide web. But it’s a market that’s growing, and after its recent successful entry to the mobile market with Windows Phone 7, Microsoft is optimizing its next OS to be mobile-friendly.

Microsoft has dominated the browser market since 1998 or 1999 (statistics vary) after winning the browser wars with Netscape, and it surged to a tyrannical 95% of market share in 2004. Since then Microsoft has seen its share of the browsing market steadily eroded. Early on, net users deserted in their droves for Firefox edgy and dynamic alternative. Since Google launched its intuitive and minimalist Chrome browser, both Internet Explorer and Firefox have lost ground to the newcomer. Thus in a month which saw Explorer share fall by 1.8%, Chrome gained 1.4%, climbing to 17.6% of desktop browsing. Firefox’s share of web users is more or less static at around 22%, but this time last year Chrome was just passing the 10% mark.

Safari expanded its user base by a modest 0.4% to 5.4%. Snappy little Opera is slightly down at 1.6%, which never ceases to amaze me as it’s so similar in look and feel to Google’s rising star.

Android may be outselling Apple devices but the total number of iOS users on the web is still much higher. Mobile Safari made up 62% of mobile browsing agents in October whereas Android fell back 3% to just 13% of the total mobile browsing masses. That’s less than 1% of all browsing worldwide. It surely can’t stay that way.

So what’s to blame for Explorer’s sad demise? Microsoft is saddled with the responsibility of being all things to all men; people switching on a computer for the first time need someone to hold their hand in the big wide web, and Microsoft can’t be tearing around bending the rules and shifting the goalposts every two minutes. Firefox on the other hand had no sooner released version 8 than it brings out Firefox 9.0 Beta. Internet Explorer is free with the OS that over 90% of buyers find included on their newly-purchased computer. It’s the default browser, and many people follow the ‘if it ain’t broke…’ mantra.

Chrome on the other hand updates automatically in the background, which might be something Internet Explorer should consider as it steps back into the ring with the long-awaited IE9. But if reports that Microsoft is to stop supporting IE8 this December are to be believed, then all those XP users still clinging to the most beloved of all OSs might be forced to make a leap of faith. Perhaps they really will all rush out and buy a Windows 7 computer?

So while Chrome and Firefox add on ever-more features: resizable text boxes, session restoration, developer plug-ins, etc, etc, Internet Explorer remains the straightforward browser for straightforward folk.

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