First released on September 2, 2008, Chrome is credited with fueling the browser speed race to accelerate JavaScript as well as a trend that removed the focus on complex menus and shifted it to more space for web content.
As Mozilla challenged Microsoft in 2004 with Firefox and reignited a browser war we thought was long gone, it is Google that has been fueling the battle with a rapid innovation cycle in web browsers that has caused more than one headache for Microsoft and Mozilla. Both have responded to Google's speed and interface challenge and significantly accelerated their browsers. Mozilla recently also adopted Google's rapid release cycle model that unveils a new browser version available every six months. Microsoft has also cut its release cycle in half and is generally believed to be on a 1-year release cycle, instead of the previous 2-year cycle (Microsoft does not officially comment on its release cycle).
While the business model of Chrome as well as the Chrome-based Chrome OS is questioned, Chrome has become a critical component in Google's structure that protects core revenues. Chrome users are strongly tied to the use of Google's search engine and are seen as key in shielding Microsoft's attempts to attract search advertising business to Bing. Google said that there are currently 160 million active Chrome users.
