Chrome to Surpass IE Market Share by End of March

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Predicting browser market shares like a careless stroll on thin ice, but the current trend in market share gains and losses of the big three invite predictions. A prediction I am rather confident to make.

According to StatCounter, IE is losing market share at an accelerated pace, while Firefox has stabilized and Chrome is still climbing. If the current trend holds up, Chrome will be exceeding IE global market share for the first time within the next three weekends.

Chrome is much more a weekend browser than any other browser with market shares substantially climbing on Saturdays and Sundays. Last weekend, Chrome climbed to 31.22 percent, which is in close proximity to IE's 33.28 percent. Last week, Chrome reached 30.96 percent and IE fell to 34.64 percent. On month ago, Chrome was at 29.83 percent and IE 35.35 percent. There is some fluctuation, but the trend is amazingly consistent with Microsoft having not found a recipe to halt IE's decline. When Chrome passes IE, it will be the first time since 1997 that a browser other than IE holds the crown of being the most popular browser. Firefox, by the way, has stabilized in the 24 to 25 percent range.

StatCounter data also indicates that Chrome currently needs about six to eight weeks to reach its peak market on an average basis. Again, if this trend holds up, then IE will have lost its market share leadership on by the end of May (according to StatCounter).

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Douglas Perry

Douglas Perry is an author and journalist from Portland, Oregon. His many articles have appeared in the likes of Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, The Oregonian, and several newspapers. He has covered topics including security, hardware, and cars, and has written five books. In his spare time, he enjoys watching The Sopranos.

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33 Comments Comment from the forums
  • I don't think it's that simple and I don't think you can just "extend" that graph and predict something like that. At some point Chrome will flatline and people who like IE will stay with IE.

    What you're doing is just extending a graph, with your train of thought Chrome will have 100% of the market share by the end of the year, and we can all see that's not going to happen.
    Reply
  • chucko
    There is no way that Statcounter is correct. Here is a completely different set of numbers:

    http://netmarketshare.com/browser-market-share.aspx?qprid=0&qpcustomd=0
    Reply
  • jl0329
    Despite all odds, I am using Chrome right now.
    Reply
  • junixophobia
    canysterssI don't think it's that simple and I don't think you can just "extend" that graph and predict something like that. At some point Chrome will flatline and people who like IE will stay with IE.What you're doing is just extending a graph, with your train of thought Chrome will have 100% of the market share by the end of the year, and we can all see that's not going to happen.
    And you can predict when it will flatline... the author just followed the stat and if you can't predict that crome will flatline in less than 2 months then it will most likely grow and by plus minus march, it will overcome IE...

    unless you can predict its decline without undergoing a flatline first in two months...

    Now if you analyze the current market, how many android do you think is being bought? and... I don't know any IE being installed in any android device...

    also, i'm sure its the weekend buying day where peeps buy their android phone/tablets and then install crome to browse... based on this I would say that the stat is realistic... don't you think?
    Reply
  • amdfreak
    No wonder. The advantages Chrome has:

    1.) Better product, better user experience

    2.) IE9 is only linked to Win7 which really upsets the users of previous operating systems, blackmailing them to upgrate to Win7. Wrong strategy.
    Reply
  • fuzzion
    Long live Chrome
    Reply
  • freggo
    That's what happens when your browser works only on the latest OS.
    You try to force the market to upgrade the OS just to use your latest browser... the maket may just switch to a different browser.
    Once you lost a client that way it is double hard to get them back..Looks like Micro$oft shot itself in the foot yet again.
    Reply
  • cptnjarhead
    i hate google, but i use chrome everyday.i did love firefox, but it became such a resource hog that i switched to chrome. youtube and pdf without plug-ins right out of the box. i hate google.
    Reply
  • Netherscourge
    Chrome FTW.

    IE is bland. FF is cluttered.

    I'll take Chrome all day long.
    Reply
  • Netherscourge
    amdfreakNo wonder. The advantages Chrome has:1.) Better product, better user experience2.) IE9 is only linked to Win7 which really upsets the users of previous operating systems, blackmailing them to upgrate to Win7. Wrong strategy.


    I think IE runs on Vista too. Not that I'm endorsing Vista, mind you. Just saying.
    Reply