Will we ever really know if Chrome or Internet Explorer is the most used desktop web browser in the world? Based on data collected in August from rival research firms StatCounter and Net Applications, it is still murky on how many copies of Google or Microsoft"s rival browsers are in active use.
StatCounter, which uses unique page views as its basis, shows that for the month of August, Chrome users had the top web browser market share at 42.78 percent. IE comes in second with 25.55 percent, followed by Mozilla"s Firefox with 19.25 percent. Safari, Opera and other browsers are well behind the top three.
Chrome, IE and Firefox are also on top on Net Applications" list for August 2013, but in completely different positions. The firm, which uses unique visitors when gathering its data, shows the IE family on top in August with 57.60 percent. Firefox is second with 18.88 percent and Chrome is third with 16 percent. Again, Safari, Opera and other web browsers are far behind the top three.
StatCounter has blasted Net Applications" data gathering methods in the past, claiming its use of "geoweighting" to add more Internet users in other countries, such as China, has lead to inaccurate results. Microsoft, which has used Net Applications" data in the past to promote the growth of IE, claims that its methods offer a better look at overall world Internet use.
In terms of individual web browsers, Net Applications shows that IE8 is on top for August with 21.65 percent, followed by IE10 at 18.65 percent. Chrome 28 is third with 9.97 percent, followed by IE9 with 9.02 percent and Firefox 23 with 7.15 percent. StatCounter has Chrome 28 on top for the month at 28.03 percent, with IE10 at 11.3 percent, IE8 at 8.27 percent, Chrome 29 at 8.24 percent and Firefox 23 at 7.51 percent.
Source: StatCounter and Net Applications | Images via StatCounter and Net Applications