Microsoft is reportedly working on a new web browser that will be introduced in the upcoming Windows 10 as a default browser instead of the long-time regular Internet Explorer. Though the company may not completely remove Internet Explorer from the new operating system, reportedly to keep the compatibility with legacy applications and websites.
Internet Explorer has been the default web browser in Windows since 1995.
According to a report at ZDNet, Microsoft is working on a lightweight web browser codenamed Spartan. The new browser will look a lot like Chrome and Firefox and will support extensions.
The company may show the new browser at its planned January 21 event for Windows 10. At the event Microsoft is expected to reveal consumer-related features in the new operating system.
If the report is correct - and it likely is given by Mary Jo Foley, long-time Microsoft watcher - it means that Microsoft has finally realized that it has to move away from the infamous legacy of Internet Explorer if it wants to take on Chrome, which has become the most used web browser, and Firefox that may have lost some of its old appeal but still remains a widely used application.
Compared to Chrome and Firefox, Internet Explorer is perceived slow and devoid of useful features. While the perception is not entirely correct anymore, it has stuck. Microsoft earlier completely revamped Internet Explorer with the version 8 in 2009 and since then has improved it significantly but Chrome and Firefox have changed even faster and have remained ahead of it.
In November 2014, Chrome had a market share of over 42 per cent. Firefox with market share over 16 per cent was second while Internet Explorer with market share of over 15 per cent was third.
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