Microsoft officially released Internet Explorer 11 as part of Windows 8.1 in October, and in November it offered a version for Windows 7 users as well. Now the latest data from Net Applications shows that IE11 is now the second most used desktop browser worldwide less than five months after it was released.
The stats, based on data gathered from 160 million unique visitors to 40,000 websites, shows that in February 2014, IE11 commanded 12.80 percent of the browser market. IE8, which is supported by Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8/8.1, is still the most used browser by far, with 21.73 percent according to February"s data.
Google"s Chrome 32 is third on the list with 9.86 percent. Chrome 33, which launched just a few days ago, claimed just 3.70 percent on February"s data. Microsoft"s IE9 and IE10 are forth and fifth on the list at 8.80 percent and 8.04 percent, respectively. Mozilla"s latest versions of Firefox, 27 and 26, are next on the web browser list with 7.90 percent and 5.78 percent.
Combined, all of the versions of IE command 59.19 percent of the browser marker share worldwide, according to Net Applications. Firefox is next at 17.68 percent and Chrome is third at 16.84 percent. Apple"s Safari browser is a distant fourth at 5.67 percent and Opera is an even more distant fifth at 1.23 percent.
Source: Net Applications | Image via Net Applications