Firefox 4 Blasts Past IE9 in Day 1 Downloads

Last week, Microsoft proudly announced that Internet Explorer 9 had been downloaded 2.35 million times in the first 24 hours of availability, and we have to admit, we were impressed. With Firefox 4 launching just a little over a week after IE9, we were eager to see how the download numbers would compare. 

Mozilla's method for showing off its impressive number of downloads is a little different. Rather than announce it via its blog, the company has created a website specially for the purpose and the number is updating in real time. By the end of yesterday, Mozilla had logged around 3 million and at 10 a.m. this morning, it was at around 7 million.

Mozilla's stat counter site, glow.mozilla.org, is actually very neat. It shows you how many people are downloading Firefox 4, and, thanks to the wonders of IP addresses, where they are in the world. You can also break it down by continent, country, state and city.

There’s no way of knowing if this tracker takes into account downloads that were started on Monday, when a link to the final version on Mozilla's FTP was posted on news sites and forums around the web. Mozilla has yet to release an official statement on how the first day of downloads went, but no doubt we’ll hear from them soon enough, and hopefully it will clarify things.

Try Firefox out here:

Windows : http://www.tomsguide.com/us/download/Mozilla-Firefox,0301-7374.html
Mac : http://www.tomsguide.com/us/download/Mozilla-Firefox,0301-7374-27688.html
Linux : http://www.tomsguide.com/us/download/Mozilla-Firefox,0301-7374-27690.html
Linux x64 : http://www.tomsguide.com/us/download/Mozilla-Firefox,0301-7374-27692.html

  • dark_lord69
    I'd be interested to see the browser speed tests again with thie one included.
    Reply
  • dameon51
    No downloads in Madagascar yet.
    Reply
  • bhaberle
    I agree with dark_lord69. I wonder how Firefox users were made aware of the new 4.0 firefox though. The only way I got IE9 is by going to Microsoft's site.
    Reply
  • amdwilliam1985
    I contributed 3 downloads to the total.
    Reply
  • homegrownxxx
    I thought this was kind of amusing when I took a screenshot.

    Reply
  • homegrownxxx
    Hmmm link didn't work,but here's what I was talking about.

    http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w46/homegrownxxx/firefoxdownloads2.jpg
    Reply
  • WR2
    Time to go get mine.
    Reply
  • SteelCity1981
    Well there goes Microsofts thunder of IE 9 right out the window.
    Reply
  • Darkerson
    About to hit the 8 million mark as I type this. WTG Mozilla!
    Reply
  • JohnnyLucky
    Interesting to go take a look and see where in the world the browser is being downloaded.
    Reply