Internet Explorer 8 is world's most popular browser

by Stevie Smith - Feb 1 2010, 18:13

Recent security warnings connected to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE) have evidently had little effect on the dominance of the browsing platform.

More pointedly, new figures from research outfit NetApps reveal that Microsoft’s latest offering (Internet Explorer 8) became the world’s leading browser during the month of January.

Specifically, NetApps reports that IE8 alone secured 22.31 percent of the market last month, surpassing the stalwart popularity of IE6 in just nine months after it was officially launched.

However, January wasn’t without disappointment for Microsoft and Internet Explorer, with IE6’s share dropping to 20.07, while the entire IE line plummeted from 66.92 in December to 62.16 percent.

As for Microsoft’s rivals in the Web browser arena, Mozilla's Firefox browsers continued to gather momentum last month, improving total market share from 23.29 percent in December to a slightly more healthy 24.41 percent in January.

Similarly, Google’s stripped back and streamlined Chrome browser jumped from 3.75 percent to 3.92 percent.  

Towards the end of January, Internet Explorer was bathed in the spotlight of negativity when an exploit in Microsoft’s browser was blamed for a series of online attacks against search giant Google in China.

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