This article was published on October 14, 2008

Google Chrome’s market share down to 1.5 percent


Google Chrome’s market share down to 1.5 percent

Interesting news about Chrome. Colin Barras, online technology reporter for Short Sharp Science, has been keeping an eye on the Global Marketshare Statistics of Clicky (the web analytics service we use, approve, and recommend). He noticed that the Google browser peaked when it was the talk of the town, with a 3.1% share. Yet since then it has dropped to 1.5%, sometimes even 1.4%.

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (around 60%) and Mozilla Firefox (around 30%) caress their steady figures. Barras expects Google to “have a job on its hands if Chrome is ever to rival Firefox, let alone Internet Explorer”. He also notes that the Chrome download link disappeared of the minimalistic Google frontpage – for reasons unknown.

To me it all makes perfect sense.

Google launches a beta version of a browser.
People check it out.
Google has enough test users and takes the link off the frontpage.
The folks who love Chrome wait for a stable version and start using their old browsers again.
Some hardcore fans stay.
Google launches a new kick-ass version and resumes its quest for world domination.

Hat tip: Bright (Dutch only)

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