Microsoft releases Internet Explorer 8 in bid to recapture market share

At 12:00 pm Thursday, Microsoft attempts to reclaim the Web with its release of Internet Explorer 8, with new features aimed to attract users of Google Chrome, Firefox, and Apple Safari.  These three alternatives to Internet Explorer have been creating new features and updates at a faster rate than Microsoft’s previous major upgrade. Users have responded by leaving Internet Explorer 7 in favor of the alternatives. Web metrics tracking shows IE with a market share of 75 percent in 2008, but by January 09, that number was reduced to 68 percent.

Microsoft is hoping to regain some ground its latest Internet Explorer, which offers speed improvements, improved security, an easier design layout.  While this is an improvement from earlier versions, it may be difficult to win back any of the users who have made the switch. Many of the new features created for IE have been available in Safari, Firefox and Chrome for some time.