Microsoft who are struggling to hold marketshare in the browser market has issued a new release candidate for Internet Explorer 9 in an effort to grab marketshare back from Apple, Google and Mozilla Firefox.
With the new browser, Microsoft is trying to regain momentum after seeing their share of the browser market slump from over 80% to less than 50% during the past 24 months.
The site WinRumors discovered and posted links to the installation files for the IE9 RC prior to the official debut, and Microsoft’s Channel 9 has a rundown of five new features added by the company as part of the release candidate. They include the ability to save and quickly open multiple home pages (not just one) from a single icon in the Windows taskbar, and a way of moving open tabs below the address bar to create more room.
The release candidate also introduces an opt-in feature called “Tracking Protection” designed to give users greater control over their online privacy by blocking forms of third-party tracking.
IE9’s overall design takes a minimalist approach and integrates the browser more seamlessly with the on-screen Windows interface claims several reviewers. Microsoft recently said the IE9 beta had attracted more than 20 million downloads, a faster pace than any other browser beta in the company’s history.
