Internet Explorer Drops Below 50% Market Share
The web has come a long way since the days when the browser wars consisted of just Netscape and Internet Explorer.
Over the years we've watched Microsoft's Internet Explorer grow, overtaking Netscape to become the world's most popular browser. Then, more recently, we've seen even our less tech savvy friends ditch the Microsoft browser in favor of one of its competitor. Though IE has remained popular in the latter half of this decade, its market share is nowhere near what it was six or seven years ago. September was a particularly grim month for Internet Explorer as data company StatCounter reports that the former king has actually fallen to below 50 percent in the worldwide market.
StatCounter's research arm, StatCounter Global Stats, yesterday released its browser market share rankings for the month of September and, though IE still has more than half of the market share in the U.S., it's fallen below 50 percent in the worldwide market. SC reports that IE now accounts for 49.87 percent of the global browser market in September, while Firefox accounts for 31.5 percent. Meanwhile Chrome's market share has tripled since the same period last year; the Google browser rose from 3.69 percent in September 2009 to 11.54 percent last month.
"This is certainly a milestone in the Internet browser wars," said Aodhan Cullen, CEO of StatCounter. "Just two years ago IE dominated the worldwide market with 67 percent."
Cullen speculates that the reason for the drop in worldwide market share could be because of EU orders that say Microsoft must offer Windows users a choice when it comes to web browsers. Previously Microsoft was allowed to ship all Microsoft computers with Internet Explorer. Indeed IE has fallen a more than six full percentage points in Europe since September 2009. IE's European share currently sits at 40.26 percent, down from 46.44 percent last year.
At home, things are looking slightly better for Internet Explorer. The browser still accounts for 52.3 percent. Firefox comes in second with 27.21 percent while Chrome brings up the rear with 9.87 percent.
Source: StatCounter via Conceivably Tech
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OH NOES!!! Sound the alarm!
Did all Mac users just download Chrome?
Not surprising, due to the quality of IE.
The worldwide market share numbers aren't that different from the US market share numbers. IE may soon drop below 50% even in America, regardless of the browser being bundled with Windows, depending on how many find IE9 good enough to switch to.
Now it's time for the EU to be telling Apple to ask which browser to choose.
Who still uses this horrible browser? Only noobs and schools along with a few who have no choice I suppose.
It was long coming. Microsoft should have known after Windows XP that it could no longer expect to ship a final updated browser ever 2-3 years with an operating system. Back then it wasn't completely necessary as the Internet was still just a baby for the masses but in 10 years the general populace has changed and technology more than ever has advanced while Microsoft sat back on the couch.
Leo and Tom Merritt said it right, somewhere along the lines Microsoft stopped being an innovator and settled down into a catch up business model. IBM did the same and is only now starting to go back to their roots of innovating and reinnovating something I hope Microsoft returns to quickly.
Whats sad is that if you take out all the PC's that are in offices and banks and such and have no choice but to use IE, Id bet you that figure would be more in the 30% range. Even my wife uses Chrome and she cant work our Tivo!!
Just another show how the user wants something that works fast, is simple, safe, and does the job!
All these advanced browsers with extra feats and gadgets, that are slow as hell, people don't want!
People start using their brains, just like cars, people rather want a normal car that works well, than buying a ferrari with clutch, gearbox, or engine problems.
I personally don't trust the StatsCounter numbers. They tend to report IE very low and Chrome higher than any other counters.
Either way, IE is the best browser for me. Ever since 9 came out Firefox 4.0 has been uninstalled and SRWare Iron is barely managing to hang on.
This report disagrees with others out there, like netmarketshare.com . Market share for browsers changes pretty gradually, so this is probably nonsense.
Other than having to use IE every once and awhile for a few in-house developed work applications I don't remember the last time I or anyone else I know touched IE...
"EU orders that say Microsoft must offer Windows users a choice when it comes to web browsers"
They should have gone a step thurther, the users choice of browser should also work with Microsoft's online update service.
Try this link in Firefox and you will see what I mean !!!
http://www.update.microsoft.com/mi [...] x?ln=en-us
Who still uses this horrible browser? Only noobs and schools along with a few who have no choice I suppose.
Most workers can't install software on office's PCs.
The only time I use IE, is when you open up a website and it says "your browser is not supported" instead of looking for the right plugin or update, I just open by in chrome IE tab, works fine.
Can Tomshardware do a little web stats on which browsers are most popular in viewing this site?
Did all Mac users just download Chrome?
Me = Mac (and linux and windows) user
And yes I did just download Chrome.
Safari is great... just... Chrome is better.
Lol, Finally.
Go away IE no body loves you.
(Huggles his Firefox.)
That's what you get for no GPU support for XP!
I am not surprised at all. Microsoft does not and I think cannot update IE as fast as the other browser makers. IE 8 and still predominate IE 6 and IE 7 lack many of the cutting edge features found in Google Chrome and Firefox. Maybe with IE 9 things will change.
Lol, Finally.Go away IE no body loves you.(Huggles his Firefox.)That's what you get for no GPU support for XP!
you really want the latest technology on a nearly 10 years old OS?!
make up your mind!
Perhaps they have stopped hiding IE8 as a security update.
Whats sad is that if you take out all the PC's that are in offices and banks and such and have no choice but to use IE, Id bet you that figure would be more in the 30% range. Even my wife uses Chrome and she cant work our Tivo!!
That's probably even a little high!
I haven't used IE in......Hmmmmmmmmm
I even used Netscape way back when I had AoL DIAL-UP!! And they went to the Unlimited plan. (am I showing my age??)
They never solve the browser problems only create lots of them.
Personally I loke IE9 Beta so far more than anything. The minus it has is the errors it gives to certain tabs for no actual reasons and restarts them. Similar issues to IE8 before it updates which is more than stable now and works great ( for those that havent tried it the past few months IE8 is indeed working great but just not as fast as is IE9 Beta ). Ill give IE9 the benefit and keep trying it till the major issue atm is resolved and judge afer both Firefox and IE9 are fully working.
Just another show how the user wants something that works fast, is simple, safe, and does the job!All these advanced browsers with extra feats and gadgets, that are slow as hell, people don't want!People start using their brains, just like cars, people rather want a normal car that works well, than buying a ferrari with clutch, gearbox, or engine problems.
You said 2 dumb things. IE is fast??? and Ferrari`s break??? not smart you is. "All these other fancy" browers actually work really well and are generally faster.
Not surpricing at all, when a company dont have any real competition and enjoy market domination it becomes lax and dont waste any effort to upgrade their market leader product properly. Thats when the competition begin to get momentum and usualy overtaking it. MS seem to have realised it and are working hard on developing IE9, lets see if its too late!
At home, things are looking slightly better for Internet Explorer. The browser still accounts for 52.3 percent. Firefox comes in second with 27.21 percent while Chrome brings up the rear with 9.87 percent.
That leaves what marketshares for Opera and the rest of the wanabebrowsers? Opera isnt bad at all, amazed it has such low marketshare
Internet exploder needs to drop below 5% or even 0% market share
I hate it sooo much!
It's great news for the Web!
People dont buy into this, statistics are easy to manipulate, im sure IE is doing just as well as ever but the reason it appears to be losing popularity is because its shown as a %, every time Sony sell a PS3 they ship a copy of Playstation Web Browser, everytime RIM sell a phone they ship a copy of Blackberry Web Browser, the same with the iPhone, and many other gadgets.
Thats why IE's % is going down because the market is being flooded with devices with different browsers, on computers its most likely taken a hit but will still be on waaaay more than 50% of systems
People dont buy into this, statistics are easy to manipulate, im sure IE is doing just as well as ever but the reason it appears to be losing popularity is because its shown as a %, every time Sony sell a PS3 they ship a copy of Playstation Web Browser, everytime RIM sell a phone they ship a copy of Blackberry Web Browser, the same with the iPhone, and many other gadgets.Thats why IE's % is going down because the market is being flooded with devices with different browsers, on computers its most likely taken a hit but will still be on waaaay more than 50% of systems
Those other browsers are obviously not included in these results, or if they are, they account for less than 0.75%.
you really want the latest technology on a nearly 10 years old OS?!make up your mind!
Microsoft were pushing XP on Netbooks until a few months ago, why do you think that they should now be able to screw over the people who parted with their hard earned cash by refusing to support their OS? If I had bought a XP Netbook I would be looking to take action against MS around now.