Google Chrome Overtakes Firefox to Become the No. 2 Browser in the World

Published on 11-18-2011 11:37 PM

Google has finally done it, its Chrome browser is now the second most popular in the world, topped only by Internet Explorer. According to the latest StatCounter numbers, Chrome has just edged past Firefox, last week, taking the number two spot.

The most interesting part is that Chrome actually lost a bit of market share coming from the previous week; however, Firefox lost even more in that time.

In fact, the only major browser to add market share in the past week is Internet Explorer, in a reversal of a very old trend.

Google Chrome had a 25.47 percent share of the market, in the week ending November 13. Firefox on the other hand ended the week with just 25.32 percent.

Chrome had a 25.5 percent market share in the week before that, while Firefox had 25.79 percent.

But both browsers lost market share in the last week, mostly to Internet Explorer which saw an uptick in usage. IE went from 40.32 percent market share in the first week of November to 40.78 percent in the following week.

At this point, Chrome and Firefox are too close, so things may change, Firefox may regain the second spot, if only temporarily.

However, the broader trends, as seen in Statcounter data, but also discovered by other players keeping an eye on the web browser market, shows Firefox slowly declining or stagnating, while Google Chrome keeps on growing.

While things may fluctuate from one week to the other for a while, Google Chrome will eventually overtake Firefox by a safe enough margin, in a matter of weeks based on Statcounter data, or months based on other data, such as NetApplications.

Of course, even though the large trends have been relatively stable, Internet Explorer is losing market share, Chrome is gaining, Firefox isn't going anywhere, nothing is set in stone.

Categories:
Software,
Internet

9 Comments

bobbintb - 11-19-2011, 01:34 AM
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wow. i hope it overtakes IE some day. dont know if it ever will though.

Sporkk - 11-19-2011, 02:26 AM
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I tried to like chrome but it doesn't seem to render fonts as well as other browsers. I would also think google is less concerned about our privacy than mozilla even though the browser may be more secure with the sandboxing.

mr. nails - 11-19-2011, 05:49 AM
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if chrome ever fixed "it's" Ad-Blocking abilities AND the fact that when you go BACK within the browser it doesn't properly go BACK to a previous page it would only then fall in a category of usable.

megabyteme - 11-19-2011, 08:00 AM
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Just noticed a couple of odd (actually very divergent in nature) thoughts as I read this, and I imagine they are not too unique: 1. "Hey, maybe I should give Chrome another shot..." 2. An unusual sense of "Ford vs Chevy" defensiveness. Prior to reading the article, I found absolutely no need to change, or defect in, Firefox. I guess it all comes down to wanting the "best", right?

mjmacky - 11-19-2011, 08:09 AM
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My strategy is still this:
Firefox: All my add-ons, blockers, scripters and tabs I want to keep open
Chrome: Open browsing, it's the one I pop open when all my blocking stuff makes sites unusable. I usually do FST on Chrome because I could have a lot of tabs open at times (and don't want to add to all the other shit I have open in Firefox).

Regarding IE: I've hated every instance I was forced to use this browser. I find it appalling/shocking that it still holds majority market share when many of the OEM systems also come with either FF or Chrome.

aktiv8 - 11-19-2011, 09:22 AM
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This is good news as perhaps a lot of the brilliant addons for FF will be made available for chrome. I know there are a lot already for chrome BUT still need some DIRECT conversions of many addonsHowever, since v7 FF has gone downhill IMHO - somehow gone far to buggy. Always freezing on my 64bit systems (older versions were fine and the 64bit builds are same), web pages in tabs just vanishing, not being able to type in URL bar, multiple tabs apparently being made visible yet FF doesn't update this other than title barHowever, I use many browsers for my web development and it is a case of horses for courses at the same time. Everyone has a preference

eyekey - 11-19-2011, 06:30 PM
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for me, chrome is awesome. it plays nicely with my android phone. Mighty-Text is the shiznit!

Cut-Copy-Paste - 11-20-2011, 09:49 AM
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Originally Posted by mr. nails

the fact that when you go BACK within the browser it doesn't properly go BACK to a previous page

For most it does