Google Chrome became more popular than ‪Internet Explorer‬‬ in 2016

The tipping point happened in March 2016, where Chrome users exceeded Internet Explorer users.

Tech2 News Staff|Jan 09, 2017, 17:01:06 IST

For the first time, Google Chrome users exceeded Microsoft's Internet Explorer, according to a report in Ars Technica. The usage for Google Chrome surged, while the number of users on Internet Explorer tapered off. Microsoft introduced a new browser for Windows 10, Edge. At the start of 2016, only 10 percent of Internet users had Windows 10, a figure that reached 24 percent by the end of the year.This means that 22 percent of Windows 10 users are opting for an alternative browser to the default Edge browser that comes installed with the operating system. Edge is emerging as a popular browser among Steam users. 50 percent of steam users have upgraded to the latest Windows 10 OS. The tipping point happened in March 2016, where Chrome users exceeded Internet Explorer users.

The report is based on data available at netmarketshare.com, however according to data released by Shareaholic, the switch happened back in 2013. Statcounter data also shows a different story, although the general trends are the same. According to the Statcounter data, there were a lot fewer Internet Explorer users as compared to the data at netmarketshare. Firefox is the next most common browser after Google Chrome according to Statcounter, but Internet Explorer remains the second most common browser according to netmarketshare.Source: StatCounter Global Stats - Browser Market ShareIn India, Internet Explorer usage is much lower than the worldwide levels. As of December 2016, the adoption of Google Chrome in India stands at 72 per cent, clearly dominating the market share and winning the browser wars. The figure is ten percent higher than the global adoption of Chrome, which is at 62 percent.