14 DAY TRIAL // Internet Explorer will soon get the ax in Windows, as Microsoft is working on Spartan, a brand new browser that will be available on all devices powered by Windows 10, including PCs, tablets, and smartphones.
But looking back at Internet Explorer, Redmond's browser has always struggled to impress, and in the last decade, Microsoft not only that tried to show users the best parts of its browser but also struggled to convince them to stop criticizing the app, as the negative perception was one of the main reasons for its somewhat weak adoption.
Often described as “the best browser to download a browser,” Internet Explorer received improvements that barely improved the user experience, while rivals Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox came with innovative options that made browsing faster, more secure, and enjoyable.
In fact, Internet Explorer was never a cool brand, Silicon Valley analyst Paul Saffo told thespec.com, trying to figure out one of the reasons Microsoft decided to kill its application and design a more modern and powerful replacement.
IE did more harm than good
Instead of helping Microsoft expand beyond Windows, Internet Explorer actually did more harm, as it brought in more criticism and a poor image that the company itself has been fighting with for years.
It's no secret that the negative perception was a big problem for Microsoft and the Internet Explorer team itself admitted last year that the company considered renaming the browser, but it was all just a matter of timing.
“In a way, the introduction of Explorer marked the beginning of the downfall of Windows and Microsoft. It was not an attempt to innovate. It was an attempt to stay relevant. In that era, Microsoft was a fast follower: Let someone else pioneer and then come into the market with muscle and take over. But they didn't succeed with the Internet,” the analyst pointed out.
Spartan also marks a new beginning for Microsoft, as the company is now preparing for a fresh start in the browsing market, where it'll still have to fight against Chrome and Firefox. Obviously, this is going to be a really tough thing to do, but all Softies are very confident that, if they get this one right, market share would skyrocket in the first months of availability.