The Downfall of Internet Explorer

It was announced in August 2020 that Microsoft would officially be ending support for their Internet Explorer browser in just one year, and with August 2021 creeping closer and closer we’ve decided to go over everything there is to know about the rise and fall of Internet Explorer and how this browser managed to be so easily defeated by the likes of Safari and Google Chrome. Read on to find out more…

Internet Explorer was launched all the way back in 1995 when the internet was just finding its feet and marketing as we know it today was in its infantancy. In fact, many argue that the internet didn’t evolve completely until HTML (HyperText Markup Language) arrived and allowed webpages to be displayed with flair and elegance. Microsoft actually teamed up with Mosaic in order to develop Internet Explorer, which eventually managed to become one of the most popular browsers in the tech world.

The rise and popularity of Internet Explorer can perhaps be put down to the way that it was marketed to the user. In 2001, it held around 90% of the market shares which is not an attribute to turn your nose up at since Google has effectively replaced it in this respect in 2021. With this said, Microsoft bound the browser to the Windows operating system so that it could be used for free without any hassle, and this saved users time and money because they no longer had to go out and purchase a separate floppy disk – yes a floppy disk.

Unfortunately, this success was short lived as new and improved browsers began to compete with Microsoft for internet dominance, and rather successfully too. Internet Explorer was designed to work harmoniously with the technology of the time, and in the 90’s and early 2000’s this was desktop computers. Safari arrived in 2003 and Chrome launched in 2008 just as mobile browsing was starting to take hold, and this new market managed to completely revolutionise the browsing experience that users wanted. After all, Internet Explorer was just too slow and too unreliable, and this reputation appears to have stuck around ever since.

The internet is just over 3 decades old and there have been many changes to the way that we browse the web during this time, especially when it comes to the popularity of certain browsers. Internet Explorer was ahead of its time at the very beginning but has found itself outcast in favour of alternatives like Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Safari. There are many reasons for this downfall, however it is safe to say that Microsoft would prefer not to dwell on the matter. By removing support for the browser, they can start to plan for bigger and better things in the future – so keep your eyes peeled!