|
Popularity for Internet Explorer,
Microsoft’s web browser fell to an all time
low last month, according to the latest
audience figures published by web analytics
firm StatCounter.
Statistics gathered for March 2009 reveal
that the world market share for Internet
Explorer (IE) dropped to 64% compared with
28% for its main rival, Firefox, which is
published by the Mozilla foundation.
Firefox 3 overtakes IE7 in Europe
In the same month, Firefox 3.0 became the
most used web browser in Europe as it
overtook Internet Explorer 7.0 for the first
time ever. Week 13 figures (23rd – 29th
March 2009) show that Firefox 3.0 took
35.09% of the European web browser market
followed by 34.51% for IE 7.0.
|
|
Despite this landmark result,
Microsoft retained overall dominance
in the European market with all
versions of IE representing 48.84%
compared to just 38.85% for Mozilla
products.
Aodhan Cullen, CEO and founder of
StatCounter, commented: "The move is
partly explained by a small switch
from IE 7.0 usage to IE 8.0 but also
by growing market share overall by
Firefox 3.0. The data shows that
Firefox is closing the gap and is
now just 10% behind all IE versions
in Europe." |
"The data shows that Firefox is
closing the gap and is now just 10%
behind all IE versions in Europe."
Aodhan Cullen
CEO and founder of StatCounter |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Heat from Brussels will not help
Microsoft cause
The landscape was very different
five years ago when Internet
Explorer commanded almost 90% of the
world market but, despite the recent
release of IE 8.0, Microsoft will
struggle to halt the decline of its
browser especially since this has
become the focus of new antitrust
investigations in Brussels.
In fact, the European Union is
considering forcing Microsoft to
distribute rival browsers as part of
its Windows packages in a bid to
encourage competition and increase
consumer choice. The outcome of this
enquiry could force the American
software giant to make Internet
Explorer 8.0 optional in Windows 7.
|
|
|
|
Visit our website |
Back to main e-zine |
 |
|
Delta Comtech Ltd
Artillery House, Heapy Street
Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 7JB |
Tel:
0844 4128102
info@delta-comtech.co.uk |
|
|
