Internet Explorer, once the most widely used web browser retires today. It obtained a peak of about 95% usage share by 2003 but started declining after the launch of Firefox in 2004 and Google Chrome in 2008. The growing popularity of mobile operating systems like Android and iOS made Internet Explorer go outdated. After almost 3 decades, Microsoft decides to bid adieu to the iconic Internet Explorer.
Microsoft will now redirect Internet Explorer users to Edge automatically. Eventually, Internet Explorer will be disabled permanently at a point where the icons on all the devices will be removed. The process of redirection will transfer the data, passwords and other settings of the user. Microsoft made it clear that the company’s future is in Microsoft Edge.
“Not only is Microsoft Edge a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications,” says, Sean Lyndersay, general manager of Microsoft Edge Enterprise.
The guidelines given by Microsoft are:
- If you are a customer using Explorer at home, shift to Microsoft Edge for faster and more secure services.
- If you are an organization using Explorer, shift to Edge and extend the life of your company’s legacy websites and apps.
- If you are a web developer, plan an orderly movement to end Explorer based on your user’s needs.
Today, the Chrome browser dominates with roughly a 65% share of the worldwide browser market, followed by Apple’s Safari with 19% so it was a necessary to retire the Explorer and shift according to the market needs.