Microsoft Offers Free Music, Movies for IE9 Downloads

With the holiday season right around the corner, Microsoft is set to launch a new campaign designed to entice those who do not run Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) to try out the new browser in exchange for free music and movies.

However, critics suggest the campaign has little to do with the Christmas spirit of giving. That's because the whole idea appears targeted at helping IE regain lost market share.

In fact, a recent study suggests that Google's Chrome has gained a significant share of the browser market, while Internet Explorer has steadily (and continues to) decline. (Source: winsupersite.com)

Gift Packages Abound for IE9 Users

Microsoft is looking to alter this trend by offering a gift package that includes three month subscriptions to Slacker Premium Radio and AOL Radio, plus one month subscriptions to Groovesharkplus and Hulu Plus.

Other notable gifts include one free movie in your Flixster movie locker, one free $5 movie ticket from Fandango and $5 off Live Nation tickets from Ticketmaster. (Source: winbeta.org)

Some of the offers, however, do not take effect until certain dates (the Ticketmaster promotion is not available until the first of next month, for example). Also, the offers are only available in the United States.

Internet Explorer 9 Won't Run on Windows XP

While there is never a charge for downloading, Internet Explorer 9 does come with its share of limitations. For starters, the browser can only be used with Vista and Windows 7. This locks out millions of users that continue to run Windows XP.

Another hurdle for Microsoft to overcome is the rather lengthy installation process, which also requires other applications to be shut down and for the computer to be restarted once installation has finished.

By comparison, Firefox and Chrome are virtually hassle-free and don't require a system restart.

What Would it Take to Switch to IE9?

So, would all of these incentives be enough to make users change to Internet Explorer 9? While it surely won't change everyone's mind, Microsoft believes it should be enough to please a wide range of potential users.

The campaign, coupled with the fact that Internet Explorer 9 has been dubbed a software "developer's dream," is the reason why so many are predicting that IE9 will soon be the most used browser behind IE8.

To access the offer, you need to be running a non-Internet Explorer browser, and visit Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9 holiday promo page.