Google Chrome vs. Internet Explorer: Chrome Takes Top Spot in Global Browser War

Google Chrome vs. Internet Explorer(Photo: Wikipedia | Mobile & Apps)

Google Chrome has apparently
dethroned Microsoft's Internet Explorer for the first time to become the
world's most popular browser, shows recent data compiled by
browser-tracking firm StatCounter.

StatCounter has revealed that Google Chrome passed Internet Explorer last week
to become the most popular browser worldwide. According to the data the
analytics company compiled, Google Chrome took 32.76 percent market
share during the week of May 14 through 20, while Microsoft's IE stood
at 31.94 percent. At the beginning of this week, however, Chrome dropped
back to 31.88 percent, just slightly higher than Internet Explorer's
31.47 percent market share.

One year ago, Internet Explorer was the
undisputed king with 43 percent market share, followed by Mozilla
Firefox with 29 percent, and Google Chrome as a distant third with 19
percent.

Chrome, a Preferred Choice for Weekends

Back in March, Statcounter took some Web
users by surprise when it revealed that Chrome had overtaken Internet
Explorer for one day that month. That miracle did not last, however, and
Chrome soon dropped back to second place, trailing Microsoft's browser.
StatCounter CEO Aodhan Cullen, explained at the time that Chrome has
become a preferred choice for users on weekends.

"Whether Chrome can take the lead in the
browser wars in the long term remains to be seen, however the trend
towards Chrome usage at weekends is undeniable," Cullen said at the
time, as cited by CNET.
"At weekends, when people are free to choose what browser to use, many
of them are selecting Chrome in preference to Internet Explorer."

Discrepancy in Results

Still, there are two very important
aspects worth noting. First, StatCounter uses a slightly different
method of compiling data than other analytics firms, and there is some
significant discrepancy between their results. NetMarketShare,
for instance, found that Internet Explorer held as much as 54 percent
of the market as of April. In NetMarketShare's study, Chrome ranks third
with 18.85 percent, while Firefox comes in second with 20.20 percent.
On the other hand, StatCounter's numbers are considered a trusted
metrics in the industry and are generally reliable, and they are also
more recent than NetMarketShare's latest study.

IE Remains the Undisputed King in the U.S.

Lastly, the second thing worth noting is
that Chrome seems to enjoy great success worldwide, but it still trails
behind Internet Explorer in the United States. According to
StatCounter's data, the week Google Chrome dethroned Internet Explorer
worldwide, in the U.S. Chrome held just 28.83 percent market share,
while Microsoft's IE held 37.81. Mozilla Firefox remains steady at 22
percent in the U.S.

"It is really difficult to determine
exactly what browser someone is using on a regular basis, especially as
many people have multiple browsers," Enderle Group principal analyst Rob
Enderle told TechNewsWorld. "But whoever controls the browser controls the platform on which search is conducted. That in itself is a statement of power."

source: http://www.mobilenapps.com/articles/2347/20120523/google-chrome-vs-inter...