Google so far had a decent run with its ‘Chrome’ Browser. Its market share is almost 7% though its way behind the leader IE which has around 60% of the total market share. But if change in the market share is to be seen Microsoft is having a real tough time, losing its share sharply to Google, Firefox, and Apple’s Safari. So with IE9, Microsoft plans to fix all this.
Last two years definitely belonged to Google with products one after another like Chrome OS, Google Wave, and micro blogging platform Buzz. Though none could really sustain the initial buzz they got, it nevertheless stamped Google’s image as a never stopping innovator (Something which Apple would vehemently oppose). Microsoft on the other hand had to get Windows 7 mostly as a replacement to Vista, the not so good OS from Redmond.
In the coming year the browser war is all set to get murkier with both Internet Explorer and Firefox getting their new versions out in the market. Each has its own niche IE is the oldest and most used browser; Firefox has its own ecosystem, a community behind it with huge number of plug-ins and add-ons; while chrome is fastest and lightest of all.
With IE9, Microsoft wishes to regain its lost ground in browser battle once and for all. Some of the main features of the proposed browser include
- Graphic capabilities – IE9 would leverage GPU (Graphic Processor Unit), using which it would be possible to create real time interactive web pages. Something which has never been done before. No wonder it is finding support from unknown quarters like NVIDIA.
- Support for HTML5 - IE9 promises to support HTML5, the next-generation standard for coding web pages, which aims to reduce the need for software plug-ins, such as Flash. HTML5 has already put Apple and Adobe in log horns. Together with GPU, it would be possible to create websites which have much richer experience when it comes to virtual interaction, creating almost a physical environment to work with.
- Other features - Support for all CSS3 selectors, faster javascript, embedded colour profiles and hardware accelerated rendering.
Coming to Firefox 4, Mike Beltzner talks about Firefox vision of being fast, powerful, and empowering! It has a lot to offer to the firefox community. Taking each point in turn
- Fast: Making browsing a fast experience, certainly it is targeting Chrome. The only feature where chrome beats the rest
- Powerful: enabling new web technologies and open standards like HTML5. This seems to be an effort to be a part of the emerging web order, in sync with Apple and IE
- Empowering: putting users in full control of their browser, data, and web experience. Something associated with Firefox
So effectively Firefox aims to provide features of all major browsers in a single platform! Something to watch out for.
The release would be interesting as it could decide the future between Google led Chrome and Android vs. Mircosoft led Graphic enabled web browsers and future iPads vs. Open source lobby backed by Firefox. With so many changes coming in near future the whole internet world could be in for a change. With coming of Web 3.0 and GPU the way we interact with web would surely be different.
IE9 is currently under development and you check the new platform capabilities by using its Test drive feature available on its website. IE9 Test Drive
On the landing page, you will have option to download the Platform Preview. Once you have installed the preview, you can run various demos to check IE9 capabilities. You can run Speed demos, HTML5 demos, and Graphics demos.
I tested some of them, though the results were not something totally amazing, but considering our current web capabilities it was definitely much better. Do not forget to test drive it yourself and of course do remember that it’s just a preview platform and not the actual browser itself.
Firefox is also available with its latest beta release. You can help test future of firefox!
*The views in the blog are of the author and not of the company as a whole – Software Associates
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60% ?
Please visit http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp
@browsertechie
I have used figures from NetApplications, please refer http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/10095730.stm