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Internet Explorer share drops to an all-time low (again)
On December 1, NetApplications announced that Firefox had maintained more than a 20% share for the first time in history. Last month, Mozilla's browser crept over 21%. Now out of "beta," Google Chrome has broken the 1% barrier, and Apple made gains as well - thanks in part to strong holiday sales of the iPhone and iPod Touch.
Interestingly enough, current economic conditions and holidays seem to be contributing factors. Layoffs and long weekends mean more people browsing at home, and more people browsing at home, apparently, means increased use of alternative browsers.
This isn't the only bad news for Microsoft lately on the browser front. Several bloggers (myself included) have reported stability problems with Internet Explorer 8 in the Windows 7 beta build.
With Internet Explorer numbers steadily on the decline and the fact that it keeps placing poorly in comparative testing, will it be able to maintain its hold on the enterprise?
[ via Alley Insider ]
Comments
14
Subscribe to commentssybgtwyJan 2nd 2009 3:01PM
"With Internet Explorer numbers steadily on the decline and the fact that it keeps placing poorly in comparative testing, will it be able to maintain its hold on the enterprise?"
Yes. At an enterprise level, companies are too risk-averse to move away from IE. Their hired developers are largely ASP converts to dot-NET, and thus any real Javascript/Java/AJAX skill isn't in-house. No, I'm not talking about your exceptional company that uses LAMP and everyone contributes to the Linux kernel. I'm talking about AT&T, IBM, GE, and Merck, Schering-Plough, Ford, Nabisco, and state governments.
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hazardJan 2nd 2009 11:17PM
Not only that but it's the only browser that designed from the ground up for automation making it rather trivial to incorporate into a desktop/enterprise app.
ToddJan 3rd 2009 7:40AM
Risk adverse!?!??
IE is the biggest security risk there is! I think you mean:
"IT department managers don't want to use anything but IE so they can insure their artificial entrenchment, guarantee their job security. Without the constant maintenance required for Microsoft products, they'd be out of a job."
PaulJan 2nd 2009 3:05PM
All-time low? Really? I seem to recall a time when NCSA Mosaic had 100% of the share...
GreggJan 2nd 2009 11:01PM
Gotta love that when I read this in my RSS reader, it came complete with an ad for Chrome.
WrinkliezJan 2nd 2009 7:12PM
Jesus, how is it that Netscape isn't in the "other" category? People still use Netscape?! I mean, I can understand Firefox and Opera, because they're awesome. I can understand IE and Safari, because they come with the operating system itself. But, Netscape? You have to download that yourself, which means there are still people out there who are specifically going and getting Netscape instead of Firefox or Opera... it doesn't make sense.
SteveJan 2nd 2009 8:33PM
Netscape 9.0 was based on Firefox and was a very good browser. It has been discontinued now so no more new versions, but there's also the fact that Netscape is a VERY big name. Many people tend to stick with what is familiar to them.
mattJan 2nd 2009 8:16PM
At least IE is dieing, slowly, but surely, and that more people are realizing that IE isn't the way to go, in any way.
gonintendoJan 4th 2009 1:26AM
hey, ie8 is pretty rockin.
QuikboyJan 2nd 2009 9:08PM
I wouldn't mind people going away from IE6 and IE7. But IE8 is awesome. It's not as bad as you'd expect IE to usually be.
chrisJan 2nd 2009 10:21PM
I don't keep up with these things, but I was shocked to see that 3.5 more people use IE than FF. The world is full of morons.
QuikboyJan 4th 2009 11:43PM
It's most likely those enterprises and schools that are still using IE6. Some sites or tools they need still require IE6, and instead of upgrading to IE7 (or even IE8) they just find it cheaper to not do anything and continue on using IE6. As soon as they upgrade, and that IE6 portion gets smaller, the better.
JWCJan 3rd 2009 1:31PM
I'll start using Chrome more when there's a google toolbar for it. I mean wtc? Google releases their own browser without a google toolbar. No google bookmarks means no browser to me.
arashJan 5th 2009 5:01AM
oh shitttttt. why opera have less than 1% and that ....firefox have 21% share? everything in firefox is just a copy of opera,i've used opera for many years now and i dont understand why there is not any hype about it and then that .......firefox is getting over hyped(just like iphone or obama).and matt dont talk like that ie is not going to die, ie is the standard,i know too many services that just work with ie(almost all banking services.....). ie have a hard touch browsing feel and that hardness feel keep my browsing needs satisfied(or more). internet is define for our generation in company with IE so you cant let it go.