14 DAY TRIAL // Everybody knows Google Chrome is the number one browser on both desktop and mobile, and the latest statistics provided by NetMarketShare show that there’s no chance the rankings would change anytime soon.
But on the other hand, April brought the very first decline for Google Chrome in a long time, most likely as a result of more people making the switch to the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge.
Last month, Google Chrome’s market share dropped from 67.88 percent to 65.64 percent, but despite this, it continues to be the preferred choice for the majority of users on the desktop.
Firefox is still the runner-up with 10.23 percent, followed by Internet Explorer 11, which no longer receives new features, with 7.49 percent.
Users already loving the new Edge
As for the reasons behind the drop recorded by Google Chrome, little is known at this point, but I believe that users trying out the new Chromium-based Microsoft Edge and sticking with it is one possible explanation.
Microsoft is moving from EdgeHTML to Chromium for Microsoft Edge, and the browser is projected to launch not only on Windows 10, but also on Windows 7 and macOS. Last month, Microsoft released the first preview versions of the new Edge for Windows 10, with a beta expected in the coming weeks. No word has been said on the stable build, but it could go live later this year.
While preview versions of Microsoft Edge shouldn’t be used as the main browsers, plenty of users have already made the switch, mostly because the apps already run pretty smoothly on Windows 10.
Obviously, the impact on Google Chrome’s market share could be bigger once Edge reaches the production channel and is released on other platforms too, so it’ll be interesting to keep an eye on Google’s fight to remain number one in the browser market.