Even though Internet Explorer is still the most heavily used web browser, Google Chrome closed out 2010 with 10% of the market share. That means that Chrome has been able to double usage rates in just one year. The newest web browser on the block has only been out since 2008, but when compared to Mozilla, Opera, Safari, and the relative relic, Netscape, Google’s latest brainchild may be able to overtake Internet Explorer in just a few years.
While most other browsers have been losing ground, Chrome has been able to tempt experienced and novice Internet users alike. Internet Explorer has been used by less and less people for the last five years. Criticized for having serious security glitches, Internet Explorer has beefed up on safety but does not offer users as many add-ons as other browsers. Safari started out as a browser that was exclusively created for Mac users, but Apple has recently released a version that is compatible for Windows. The move prompted an initial surge, but Safari users only account for less than 5% of all surfers.
As Google is already the most popular search engine it is no surprise that they have quickly been able to convince existing users to try out Chrome. Smaller companies such as Mozilla have done an impressive job when it comes to gaining a large amount of Internet users, but they lost about 2% over the course of 2010. Chrome will likely continue to grow in popularity, but for now Internet Explorer remains the dominant force on the web.
