14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has now released all the language variants of Internet Explorer 9, with the localized version for Japanese users live as of the start of this week.
The Japanese language flavor of IE9 RTW was the only version of the latest IE iteration delayed, only because the Redmond company cited the need to protect the country’s communication infrastructure after the devastating natural disaster in mid-March.
Japan is still struggling to recover from the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit the nation last month, just ahead of IE9’s release to web (RTW) deadline.
“The final Internet Explorer 9 is now available for download in Japanese,” Swathi Ganapathi, Program Manager, Internet Explorer said at the start of this week.
“With this release, IE9 is now available to download in 40 languages worldwide. Please visit our worldwide sites page to download Internet Explorer 9 in a language of your choice.”
Earlier this month the software giant started distributing IE9 RTW through Windows Update.
The latest IE release is being offered to Windows 7 and Windows Vista SP2 users, but will not be installed automatically even if the bits are live on WU.
Customers still need to agree to the IE8 to IE9 upgrade and give green light to the deployment of the browser.
And there’s really no reason why they shouldn’t. IE9 is superior in every way to IE8, from usability to performance, web standards support, security, reliability, etc.
Those that feel a tad more adventurous can also download the first Platform Preview release of Internet Explorer 10, the next major version of IE.
IE10 PP1 is extremely similar in purpose to IE9 PP1, meaning that it’s designed for web developers to test the platform advances built into the browser, especially around the expansion of modern web standards support.
IE10 PP1 is not meant for everyday usage however, and customers are better off running IE9 RTW at this point in time.
Windows Internet Explorer 9 RTW for Windows 7 and Windows 7 SP1 is available for download here.
Internet Explorer 10 (IE10) Platform Preview 1 (PP1) is available for download here.