Google Chrome has overtaken Firefox for the first time globally, according to StatCounter analytics. The stats show in November Chrome took 25.69% of all browser users – beating Firefox’s 25.23% marginally.
 Click to enlarge |
This marks spectacular growth for Google’s browser since 2009, when newcomer Chrome accounted for just 4.66% of all users across the world.
However, as Chrome and Firefox scrap it out, Microsoft Internet Explorer still maintains a healthy lead over rivals accounting for 40.63% globally and is even increasing marketshare in the US.
Locally, IE also accounts for 40% of Aussie browsers – almost 10% drop since 2009, followed by Firefox users who have also gone south with 23% share, while Chrome still accounts for only 20%.
Safari is also on the rise here with over 13% usage.
In the US Internet Explorer is maintaining dominance, accounting for 50.66% of all browser users and almost 43% in the UK.
However, there is an epic battle ahead between Firefox and Chrome, say analysts.
“We can look forward to a fascinating battle between Microsoft and Google as the pace of growth of Chrome suggests that it will become a real rival to Internet Explorer globally,” says Aodhan Cullen, CEO, StatCounter.
“Our stats measure actual browser usage, not downloads, so while Chrome has been highly effective in ensuring downloads our stats show that people are actually using it to access the web also.”
StatCounter Global Stats are based on aggregate data collected on a sample exceeding 15 billion page views per month (4 billion from the US) from more than three million websites.
