Chrome crowned top internet browser by market tracker

SAN FRANCISCO: Google Chrome was crowned the top internet browser, officially ending the long reign of Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE). NetMarketShare calculated that Chrome had 41.7% of desktop browser share in April, narrowly topping the 41.4 share for IE. Mozilla's Firefox browser was third with 9.7%, according to the market tracker.

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A second market tracker, StatCounter, had given the title to Chrome four years ago and gave Google's software for browsing the internet an even bigger lead over IE in April. A graph posted online at netmarketshare.com showed a Chrome use trend line rising while a line for IE sloped downward.

When it came to using browser software to access the internet from mobile devices, Chrome commanded slightly more than 49% of the market, according to NetMarketShare. The results came as Google faces regulatory scrutiny, particularly in Europe, over its dominant position in internet lifestyles and as Microsoft was pursuing a shift to business and cloud computing services.

Microsoft fielded new Edge browser software synched to its latest-generation Windows 10 operating system and incorporating its Cortana virtual assistant capabilities to win users. Microsoft last month reported a 25% plunge in quarterly profits as the company navigated away from its role as a software seller to a services model.

Source: AFP