Computers

Google's Chrome browser surging past Firefox

Google Chrome has pulled into second place in the browser war according to StatCounter
Google Chrome has pulled into second place in the browser war according to StatCounter

Google Chrome has pulled into second place in the browser war according to website analytics company StatCounter. Chrome now has 25.69 percent of the market while Firefox has 25.23 percent. Both browsers are trailing the Internet Explorer which still owns 40.63 percent of the market.

When Google Chrome launched in 2008, Loz Blain noted that Mozilla probably had the most to lose out of its release. The most fascinating part about Chrome passing Firefox is just how little time it took to do it. In 2009 Chrome only held a 4.6 percent marketshare and now they have pulled in to second place.

"We can look forward to a fascinating battle between Microsoft and Google as the pace of growth of Chrome suggests that it will become a real rival to Internet Explorer globally," commented Aodhan Cullen, CEO, StatCounter. "Our stats measure actual browser usage, not downloads, so while Chrome has been highly effective in ensuring downloads our stats show that people are actually using it to access the web also."

In the United States, Internet Explorer makes up 50.66-percent of the market, with Firefox retaining second place at 20.09-percent, although that is down from the 26.75-percent they held last year. Chrome is at 17.3-percent while Safari pulls in at fourth place with 10.76-percent.

The United Kingdom tells a different story in the browser race. Internet Explorer still holds the lead, but by a smaller margin at just 42.82-percent. Chrome is in second-place with 24.82-percent marketshare after overtaking Firefox (20.56-percent) in July.

The stats collected by StatCounter are based on aggregate data collected on a sample in excess of 15 billion page views each month from the StatCounter network of more than 3-million websites.

Stats from Clicky also reflect the rise of Chrome which is neck-and-neck with Firefox in its latest reports.

However, the latest stats from both W3Counter (Chrome 22.8 percent, Firefox 25.5) and Netmarketshare (Chrome 18 percent, Firefox 22 percent) still show Firefox retaining a greater market share.

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11 comments
Bill Bennett
wait for it! yep still using firefox
Waz7710
was always an avid supporter of firefox but moved to Chrome about 3 months ago and will never look back
Jamie Estep
Firefox has become just as slow and buggy as IE. We dumped firefox completely at my company. Unless they can get back to being a fast and usable browser, they\'re going to go away. Unlike IE that is forced on all Windows computers, FF doesn\'t have the initial forced user base.
cmaglaughlin
Tried Chrome, don\'t get the \"thrill\" everyone else THINKS they get, compared to Firefox. Of course, familiarity breeds recognition, and Chrome setup just seems too confusing for the trade off. Then again, I use Linux, and ANY browser is super fast. Windows is the reason for slow speed. Windows 7 is finally catching up to Linux. Why anyone would fork out $200 plus for Windows 7, when you can get a Linux operating system disc for about a buck or two shipped on eBay!
toller
Now if only Adobe Flash Player would quit crashing on Google Chrome, things would be golden.
Gavin Zubka
Crome is amazing, Google is amazing!
Question Everything
Now, since they can\'t track me since I don\'t use Google, they want to track my every movement with Chrome. Thanks but no thanks. Firefox is the way to go.
snrRog
Dave Andrews
The only reason that piece of crap IE is in the lead is that it comes automatically with the Windows system. The casual user doesn\'t even realize there are options; they simply use what\'s provided.
Dawar Saify
But why is so much hatred being hurled at microsoft and Internet explorer. It\'s only with these as backups that you feel you have everything and all is ready. Quite a few websites simply don\'t render well with the alternatives. The others have to mature. This goes for office as well. Microsoft lost it in the smartphone race, don\'t know why.
vblancer
I like Opera better that I.E. or Firefox which I find awkward to use. Opera\'s Speed Dial is so much better as a way to connect to all you favorite site. Much better than the others.
Only problem is some places, very few, do not recognize it. If more people tried it the others would be left in the dust.