Download Squad — New statistics show Firefox is moving steadily to the top

Chris Gilmer –12 October 2006
Is there still really a browser war? Microsoft hasn’t updated its browser in how many years? So obviously they might not seem to care about internet users. Nonetheless, new statistics are showing that Firefox and Safari are gaining more ground as the browser of choice for web users. Internet Explorer has been losing ground steadily since Firefox was initially released. This new batch of browser market share stats put together by Market Share by Net Applications, shows that IE is at its lowest point since 2005, sitting at 82%. While Firefox is gaining ground from 7.5% in September 2005, to 12.4% in September 2006.

This is whistling in the wind. Gaining a market share of one-eighth in two years is commendable but is Firefox really “moving steadily to the top”? Assuming it keeps up last year’s rate of growth, it would reach a 50.1% (i.e. majority) share of the browser market some time in July 2009.

There are a lot of things that could happen to the market — and to Firefox — in the meantime. “The top” is a long way off.