It’s no secret that Microsoft has been losing a little ground in the browser wars. At the end of 2007, a study by Net Applications showed its market share had fallen below 70% – to 68% – for the first time, with Firefox grabbing a 21% share.
So, on the day that the first release candidate of the new Internet Explorer 8 browser is released, after being in beta since last March, the company is touting the browser’s charms. Few changes are expected before the final release.
Microsoft’s Amy Bardzukas told the BBC:
"What we are seeing for many consumers in particular is that their computing experience is a browsing experience.”
"The role of the browser has become more and more important. Our focus is on delivering the best experience possible and one that is faster, easier and more secure."
So what does IE8 do that IE7 didn’t, and what can make it compete with the ever more popular Firefox? According to Microsoft, it loads pages faster than before, while it also possesses navigation and tab isolation features, mean that if you hit a bad site only that tab – not the whole browser – closes.
Then there’s WebSlices, a feature to keep users updated about an item on a web page, for instance weather, stock prices, or to follow an eBay auction. Accelerators let users access Web services like maps or translations in a small window without having to leave the page. Finally there’s ‘InPrivate Filtering,’ more popularly known as ‘porn mode,’ that can keep visited sites secret from others who use the computer later, although its real intent is to block third-party tracking of Web activity to prevent targeted ads.
The browser also arrives at a time when Microsoft is in a new tussle with the EU over stifling competition by bundling its browser with its operating system on new computers. As part of its response, in a quarterly filing with the SEC, CNET reports that Microsoft wrote that “a remedy might include a requirement that OEMs distribute multiple browsers on new Windows-based PCs. We may also be required to disable certain unspecified Internet Explorer software code if a user chooses a competing browser."
"We have long advocated providing choice to customers and respect peoples’ ability to choose.” Bardzukas said. “You can accuse me of bias, but I believe with IE 8 we will deliver the browser people will want to choose."
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