Internet Explorer Makes Surprising Turnaround
After several years of trending market share losses by Internet Explorer (IE), Microsoft's flagship browser appears to be winning back some customers. However, experts suggest the resurgence may not represent a permanent reversal of fortune.
Web statistics firm Net Applications now reports that the proportion of web users worldwide who are running Internet Explorer has risen in each of the past three months, while Google Chrome has consistently dropped during the same period.
The recent growth is a notable change in a long-term Internet Explorer trend of losing its dominance over Google's Chrome and Mozilla's Firefox browsers, which for now must be content to vie with each other for the number two spot.
With Internet Explorer in use by 53.83 per cent of web users, worldwide, Microsoft is successfully delaying what once seemed inevitable: a majority of computer users browsing the web with software other than Internet Explorer. (Source: zdnet.com)
Figures Based On Large-Scale Sampling
Net Applications produces its statistics on browser usage by gathering all the data it obtains for individual clients, who have installed tracking tools on some 40,000 different web sites. That's enough diversity to convince the company its data is fairly representative of the web as a whole.
The statistics combine the number of users running all versions of a browser. So the fact that Internet Explorer 8 remains more popular than its successor, IE9, the latest version of the software, doesn't count against the trending popularity of IE as a whole.
It's the same with Internet Explorer 6, now vastly outdated and relatively insecure.
While Microsoft is waging a battle to get US users to move away from IE6, that old software nevertheless boosts IE's standing among all browsers, because it is still being used by nearly seven per cent of web surfers, worldwide. (Source: eweek.com)
PC Sales Dip No Killer Blow
The apparent revival of Internet Explorer comes despite two counter-trends that might have damaged the browser's success.
First, the increase in people surfing the web via portable devices such as smartphones and tablets tends to drive users away from IE6, because those devices are much more likely than PCs to use Chrome or Apple's Safari as browsers.
Second, the noticeable dip in PC sales in recent months has dampened sales of Microsoft software, including its browser, which is bundled on most new PCs.
Inexplicably, Internet Explorer's recent resurgence has come without as much as help as the software usually receives from new machine sales.
Most popular articles
- Which Processor is Better: Intel or AMD? - Explained
- How to Prevent Ransomware in 2018 - 10 Steps
- 5 Best Anti Ransomware Software Free
- How to Fix: Computer / Network Infected with Ransomware (10 Steps)
- How to Fix: Your Computer is Infected, Call This Number (Scam)
- Scammed by Informatico Experts? Here's What to Do
- Scammed by Smart PC Experts? Here's What to Do
- Scammed by Right PC Experts? Here's What to Do
- Scammed by PC / Web Network Experts? Here's What to Do
- How to Fix: Windows Update Won't Update
- Explained: Do I need a VPN? Are VPNs Safe for Online Banking?
- Explained: VPN vs Proxy; What's the Difference?
- Explained: Difference Between VPN Server and VPN (Service)
- Forgot Password? How to: Reset Any Password: Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10
- How to: Use a Firewall to Block Full Screen Ads on Android
- Explained: Absolute Best way to Limit Data on Android
- Explained: Difference Between Dark Web, Deep Net, Darknet and More
- Explained: If I Reset Windows 10 will it Remove Malware?
![](/graphics/dennisfaas.jpg)
My name is Dennis Faas and I am a senior systems administrator and IT technical analyst specializing in cyber crimes (sextortion / blackmail / tech support scams) with over 20 years experience; I also run this website! If you need technical assistance , I can help. Click here to email me now; optionally, you can review my resume here. You can also read how I can fix your computer over the Internet (also includes user reviews).
We are BBB Accredited
![](https://www.infopackets.com/graphics/bbb.png)
We are BBB accredited (A+ rating), celebrating 21 years of excellence! Click to view our rating on the BBB.