When Google first launched its Chrome browser in late 2008 the uptake of the new browser in an already crowded market was uncertain. At the time Internet Explorer was still dominant, but Firefox was fast gaining ground on the Microsoft browser.<\/p>\n
Other browsers, including Opera and Apple’s Safari – of which a Windows version was released in June 2007 – were also battling it out for market share.<\/p>\n
Despite stiff competition Google’s investment in Chrome is paying off. <\/p>\n
Google Chrome 5.0, the first stable release of the browser to support Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, was announced late in May, and Chrome’s browser market share is continuing to grow.<\/p>\n
According to NetMarketshare Google Chrome currently has an overall browser market share of 7% and is placed third behind Internet Explorer (60%) and Firefox (24%). Chrome is well ahead of Safari (4.8%) and Opera (2.4%).<\/p>\n
Tech savvy consumers in particular have taken a liking to Google’s Chrome browser. According to W3Schools’s browser statistics 32.2% of visitors use Internet Explorer, 46.9% use Firefox and 14.5% prefer Chrome. Safari and Opera are placed fourth and fifth with 3.5% and 2.2% respectively.<\/p>\n
MyBroadband’s statistics are similar to that of W3Schools. Over the last month 39% of MyBroadband’s visitors used Internet Explorer while Firefox is used by 37% of visitors and Google Chrome by 14.2%. 4% of visitors used Safari and 2% opted for Opera.<\/p>\n