News of Microsoft's new Spartan browser has been circulating for some time now, and many believe it to be a new browser running side by side with Internet Explorer. Some have also speculated that the new browser may replace Internet Explorer as the Windows 10 default web browser, but according to Christopher Capossela, Microsoft's CFO, Internet Explorer will continue to be used in Windows 10.
At Microsoft Convergence yesterday, Capossela said "We are right now researching what the new brand, or the new name for our browser, should be in Windows 10. We will continue to have Internet Explorer, but we also have a new browser called Project Spartan, which is codenamed 'Project Spartan,' and we have to name the thing."
Some users of Microsoft Windows may be disappointed to hear that Internet Explorer will continue in Windows 10. Internet Explorer is one of the oldest web browsers that has been continuously updated, and over the years it has been the target for numerous viruses and hackers.
In addition, some users have complained over performance issues and stability with the browser. As a result, Internet Explorer has faced tough competition over the years from other web browsers such as Chrome and Firefox.
According to W3 Schools, an educational website for web development, as of February 2015, Internet Explorer ranks third with 8 percent global market share. By comparison, Chrome ranks first with 62.5 percent market share, and Firefox has 22.9 percent market share.
In an attempt to regain market share, Microsoft has been developing Project Spartan with plans to launch in Windows 10 alongside Internet Explorer. Capossela said that in the United Kingdom, users were being surveyed about potential names for the new browser.
The survey showed that users responded more favorably to product names starting with "Microsoft" instead of "Internet Explorer." While the exact tested names were not given, it is certain the name will be "Microsoft (Blank)" because of the positive reaction to the Microsoft brand name.
For now, Microsoft is saying that Internet Explorer will continue to be used along with the Project Spartan browser for Windows 10, but that could change in future versions of Microsoft Windows. It seems a curious idea to have two browsers, so we'll just have to wait and see what Microsoft decides to do. But for now, at least, the plan is for the two browsers to coexist.
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