The Firefox and Safari Web browsers are gradually becoming more popular, while Internet Explorer (IE) may be starting to lose some of its lead, according to experts.
Web analysis firm OneStat.com on Monday released statistics showing that while IE continues to dominate Web browser use with 85.17 percent of total global usage in May, the browser has fallen in popularity by 0.65 percent since January. In contrast, Firefox use has increased by 0.56 percent since January, and now stands at 11.79 percent of global use, according to OneStat.
Apple's Safari is also becoming more popular, up from 1.88 percent in January to 2.02 percent. "It is interesting to see that global usage share of Mozilla is higher in the USA and Canada than in other countries in the world and that the global usage share of Apple's Safari is still growing," said Niels Brinkman, co-founder of OneStat.com, in a statement.
Firefox is most popular in Canada, with 16 percent of total browser usage there, compared to 12.81 percent in the US and 9.95 percent in the UK. The browser has made steady gains in all of these countries since January, while IE has continued to decline.
Some experts claim the growth in popularity of Firefox is a direct result of the security problems that have afflicted IE, including two serious vulnerabilities disclosed earlier this month.
But security company Sophos claims Firefox uptake will soon slow, since most of those interested in security have already switched browsers. "Because our audience is probably more security-aware than the average guy on the street, we see a greater usage of Firefox than the global average," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos.
Sophos statistics for May show 72 percent of visitors are using Internet Explorer, 15 percent are using Firefox, and 13 percent are using other browsers."What's interesting is that the Firefox usage globally appears to only be creeping up very slowly, unlike the early days of its adoption," said Cluley.
Mozilla and Microsoft will release updated versions of their browsers later this year. Firefox 2.0 is currently in Alpha 2, codenamed Bon Echo, with a final release expected in the third quarter of this year. IE 7 is currently in Beta 2, and the final release version will be bundled with the delayed Microsoft Vista operating system.
Microsoft and Mozilla are aware that security is a growing concern for many browser users, and that it is high on their agenda for future versions of their software.
"With IE 7 and Firefox 2.0 approaching later this year, it will be interesting to see if Microsoft manages to claw back some of its market share. Whichever products wins the war of the Web browsers, it's likely that the hackers will target it as a means of making money," Cluley said.
Talkback
Whatever dominating browser wouldn't make me happy. I would rather see 6 or 7 browsers or so that each have 10 - 15% market share. Only then will there be enough diversity around to ensure innovation, cooperation, standarization and security in future proof ways.
In short, only when the browser of your choice is just as important as the colour of your car can we say that we've achieved something meaningfull. Until then we're just learning and struggling.
That said, two dominating browsers are still better then one.
And for those still thinking that one dominating browser is the only real answer. If you really believe that then start demanding from Microsoft that the Vista version of IE7 must be made available for all Windows versions still in use widely (say, Windows 98 and up) without functionality loss. Because if you don't you either are not as well informed as you think you are or you're not that interested in a single dominating browser afterall.
Alternative ways to help make Microsoft understand that you want the same IE version everywhere: don't buy Vista, don't buy products with Vista pre-installed, replace Vista if it gets in anyway, don't install IE7, re-install your PC if IE7 gets installed anyway, ban IE7 only websites, always browse the non IE7 version of websites that offer choice, don't buy products that require IE7 (or Vista), demand a refund for products that turn out to require IE7 (or Vista) anyway or ditch them and don't install IE7 even if that's the only way to get that much needed security patch (so do disable Automatic Updates and WSUS in time). Nowedays we call this: consumer choice.
Basically what we all want is a single standard independant of vendor, platform, version and browser. So why are we as consumers not given what we as a market want? Might it be because that consumer choice that we seem to have is not so easy to invoke afterall? But if so then what value has consumer choice anyway? Could it be that there are in fact other forces in play that in reality determine market demand yet wrongfully claim 'consumer choice' as the reason? And if so, for what purpose? Surely not to use this so called consumer choice as an instrument to make markets (believed to reflect consumer choice) behave to meet the, maybe political, demands of someone's hidden agenda at that moment in time? Just to move in for the kill once the cards lay of the table as they want perhaps? If so, would that be some form of cheating that requires not to be misunderstood counter actions that repair damage done as much as possible or behaviour we would like everyone to adopt because we agree it leads to desired results?
I originally tried out Firefox, as I was informed it was more secure than IE.
They could have made IE equally secure the next day, and I wouldn't have gone back. The tabs got me hooked, and I've since found a few plug-ins that make a switch back even less likely.
Firefox would pretty much need to fall apart on the security side for IE to have any chance of winning me over.
Like Arthur, I would like to see more browsers, plus more compliancy with web standards, and less of IE only web sites. I steer clear of these sites because I
refuse to use IE. IE is a piece of swiss cheese, attached to another piece of swiss cheese. I don't like
being forced to accept an unstable, insecure product.
I would rather decide what I spend my money on, than have someone else make that decision. When I buy a new computer I purchase the parts and assemble what I want in it, not what someone wants me to have.
"It is interesting to see that global usage share of Mozilla is higher in the USA and Canada than in other countries in the world" This is unreliable as USA has been one of the slower adopters of Firefox along side the UK. Finland had around 30 per cent usage of Firefox back in March. I don't think this would dorop to below USA's usage level in 2 moths.
Firefox needs the proper promotion scheme.
IE is supported, sponsored and backed by the brand and OS of Microsoft.
Firefox needs to be adept in getting a big bang theory to compete with the rival.
But any improvement is good.
The Opera browser is excellent, at least as good as Firefox. It's my default.
There would be more take-up of Firefox if it imitated its ancestor AOL and made itself available in retail stores on free CDs. That worked for AOL coupled with its slogan "So easy to use - no wonder it's No. 1"
Firefox needs a slogan and a free CD if it wants to become popular.
But I like Opera best. If you have a Web site, its user mode "Show structural elements' is really helpful. And unlike Firefox, so is its View > Source.