Chrome on track to overtake Firefox by year's end

[Shawn Knight]

Google’s Chrome is on track to surpass Mozilla’s Firefox as the second most popular browser globally by the end of the year. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer holds a solid lead among all other competitors, according to data from free website analytics company StatCounter.

StatCounter’s top five browsers in September 2011 show that Internet Explorer holds a 41.7 percent market share while Firefox has 26.8 percent of users and Chrome is just behind at 23.6 percent.

When viewing the same data over the course of the past year, it becomes clear just how rapidly Chrome is closing in on Firefox and how many users are leaving Microsoft’s offering. In October 2010, Chrome only had a 12.4 percent share, Firefox was at 31.2 percent and IE was at 49.2 percent. IE lost 7.5 percentage points in just one year while Chrome added 11.2 percent. If these same trends continue, Chrome should top Firefox before the end of the year.

As noted by Computer World, other stats providers often report quite different findings. For example, Net Applications' August 2011 report indicates that IE holds a 55.3 percent share while Firefox sits at 22.6 percent and Chrome is a bit further back at 15.5 percent.

The reason for the discrepancy between reporting sites has to do with how each company gathers and reports data. Net Applications is said to theoretically paint a more accurate picture because they factor in the Chinese market. As such, companies like Microsoft typically tend to quote Net Applications’ results when citing market share.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/45697-chrome-on-track-to-overtake-firefox-by-years-end.html

 

[Jibberish18]

Poor Opera. LOL. Never changes. I can imagine why Firefox is losing. First off Chrome is just moving ahead fast. 2nd, they're probably pissing off users and developers off by making releasing so quick together. Then there's just the hype behind Chrome. 'So faaaaaaaaaaaast!"

 

[lawfer]

You know what's funny though? Lifehacker ran some benchmarks, and Firefox 7 is faster and more efficient than Chrome in every category except JavaScript performance. Everything else either Firefox won, or was tied with Opera (or Opera won). It just goes to show that performance has stopped being the deciding factor; I assure you, I know Firefox is a lot more capable than Chrome, but Chrome's interface has been the real winner.

Firefox has to redo its interface... it has to improve its on-screen menu responsiveness (currently dragging and moving tabs is a complete pain in the *** in comparison to Opera or Chrome). Firefox's current interface seems like a desperate attempt at copying Chrome and Opera; it looks bulky, and not "fast." Because, it is fast, but it doesn't "feel" fast.

Main reason why Chrome has also gained so much market share is because, well, why does Google+ have over a 50 million members already? Why is Android the most used mobile operating system in the planet? Why is YouTube the largest, most viewed video sharing website on earth? Why is Google the #1 search engine? Well, because of, you know, Google. It's called brand trust.

That's not to say, of course, that Chrome doesn't deserve it's popularity; but we have to be clear with ourselves, and see exactly why it has gotten so big in such a short time.

 

[caravel]

Apparently chrome is a "virus":

http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Chrome/thread?tid=42d6ba02d7eed070&hl=en
http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-anti-virus-update-identified-google-chrome-as-a-trojan

 

[Guest]

i'll take chrome vs firefox every day. all the benchmark suck on bailey use. show me on daily use dude not numbers.
i've use firefox 4 years and i've give it up a year ago. because it's memory flaws and i'm speaking from expericen and not to metion all it's integrated options like:
sync bookmarks not something addone afterwards and etc not worth mentioning right now

 

[madboyv1]

Guest said:
i'll take chrome vs firefox every day. all the benchmark suck on bailey use. show me on daily use dude not numbers.

You can't quantify performance through daily use, which is why you'll never see it in "reviews" or "comparison posts." You're looking for opinion posts/articles, which are just as loaded (much more so infact) than the former, and change drastically from person to person.

 

[Guest]

meh i still use firefox ... it works fine for me

but true chrome kinda has an edge since all the android stuff is preloaded with chrome and stuff, I don't think the average user would even notice that and still use it. know what i mean? Just like IE is preloaded with windows so most of the people don't bother getting another browser and just use it. and some times when you install some other software for free i.e,avast it just automatically installs chrome if you neglect the check box...

Im sure it's good browser and all but all these factors count as well i presume

 

[treetops]

lawfer said:
You know what's funny though? Lifehacker ran some benchmarks, and Firefox 7 is faster and more efficient than Chrome in every category except JavaScript performance. Everything else either Firefox won, or was tied with Opera (or Opera won). It just goes to show that performance has stopped being the deciding factor; I assure you, I know Firefox is a lot more capable than Chrome, but Chrome's interface has been the real winner.

Firefox has to redo its interface... it has to improve its on-screen menu responsiveness (currently dragging and moving tabs is a complete pain in the *** in comparison to Opera or Chrome). Firefox's current interface seems like a desperate attempt at copying Chrome and Opera; it looks bulky, and not "fast." Because, it is fast, but it doesn't "feel" fast.

Main reason why Chrome has also gained so much market share is because, well, why does Google+ have over a 50 million members already? Why is Android the most used mobile operating system in the planet? Why is YouTube the largest, most viewed video sharing website on earth? Why is Google the #1 search engine? Well, because of, you know, Google. It's called brand trust.

That's not to say, of course, that Chrome doesn't deserve it's popularity; but we have to be clear with ourselves, and see exactly why it has gotten so big in such a short time.

didnt google buy youtube far after youtube was already number 1? google also forces you to sign up to there email to use most of there services including the simple purchase of a android phone service plan, in which use chrome is on by default. they may have a lot of people signed up for chrome but I really don't think very many people actually use it. I like google but after they took over youtube its become riddled with ads. I hope they don't ruin firefox.

 

[Chazz]

I'd rather go back to IE than use chrome. If firefox ever dies that's exactly what I'll do. I'm not too keen on having google know everything I do on my computer, which is also why I never used google desktop.

 

[Guest]

Love Firefox..Super fast..tons of add-ons.. Whats not to love? I think it's because Chrome is being side loaded with a lot of garbage you download now adays..Sneaky Google...sneaky but effective in the charts

 

[abe10tiger]

I love Firefox and I like Chrome, help me out here guys. XD

 

[Guest]

Everyone keep forgetting one thing. Google' s Data mining . as long as you use Chrome or Google
Desktop everything you do will collected and help Google to Dominate the markets. well Google says this is done by stuff robot programs no human touch . but I will be more comfortable with Firefox .
MSIE 8-9 also no different from Chrome perspective. what is smart filters do?
Don't worry guys Firefox is not going anywhere anytime soon

 

[Guest]

Firefox 7 is faster than Chrome, has NO ads with Adblock (unlike Chrome), and it has real extensions (not slow script Chrome extensions). The interface can be customized exactly how you want (unlike Chrome which is NOT customizable at all aside from the lame skins). Firefox 7 is the clear winner for me. If your Firefox 7 isn't performing, one of your extensions are more than likely the cause, or maybe you have way too many extensions.

But... why do people care what browser other people use? Try the latest version of each browser and pick the one you like...

 

[Guest]

Me likes my firefox

 

[p51d007]

I've been running the x64 version of Pale Moon with all my plugins and it just squashes FF in load time. Anyone know why they don't have an x64 version of FF?

 

[Emin3nce]

Firefox used to be a neat, fast and secure browser with a few light UI touches and features (like spell check) that made it a good pick.

Then they started getting slower and heavier. Light UI tweaks turned into FULLY CUSTOM BEHEMOTH INTERFACE MODS... and so on, so forth. I eventually got sick of the onload updates that would take forever.

Boo to Firefox, you lost me.

 

[Guest]

I migrated to Chrome when Firefox briefly dropped the status bar. On reading the article about the new Firefox's apparent superior speed, I tried them again.
Unfortunately, Firefox lacks some functionality that makes Chrome my browser of choice - like for instance the fact that searching does not auto-complete in the URL bar, and the fact that they provide a separate search bar in the first place.

 

[caravel]

Firefox did not drop the status bar, instead they somewhat ironically, for your especially, copied the chrome one...

You can get back the old style Firefox status bar with the "status-4-evar" add on.

The search is down to personal preference. Personally I prefer the separate search bar in Firefox exactly as it is. I don't use it for conventional searching however, instead I use it to search within other sites. Chrome is simply designed as a front end for google and data mining tool, which is why google searching is so integrated.

 

[Guest]

They briefly dropped the status bar back in Firefox 4 Beta (I think). I know it came back pretty soon, but by then I had developed a taste for Chrome.

 

[Guest]

The browser wars are over, who won? People, because they now have a choice. Pick whatever you like, use it and enjoy...

 

[Guest]

Firefox with NoScript is the best way to view the Internet. Without Java the Internet is finally safe to search again! BAN JAVA!

 

[Guest]

"google data mining"
"I love Firefox and I like Chrome, help me out here guys. XD"

Come-on folks - all the service providers are either doing the mines or making a B2B service opportunity. I use them all. Safari on the Apples with MAIL, Firefox on the host ISP/eMails, Chrome on my business stuff, and Opera on entertainment. I keep them (or most?) online most of the time. They do seem to get along quite well - syncing calendar and contacts. They all seem think they are in charge?

Oh - I am 99% weaned off of the IE Evil empire.

You can't beat them by sticking your head in one hole!

Billz