Goodbye Internet Explorer: Microsoft retires browser after 27 years
For millions it was their first ever web browser but as of today - after 27 long years - Microsoft is no longer supporting Internet Explorer.
© Reuters
Bill Gates promoting an early version of Internet Explorer in 1997
It is a long-delayed retirement. Even when the company previously planned to pull support last August its usage had shrivelled to a fraction of what it once was.
Anybody who now tries to use the desktop application will find it is disabled and out of support and will be automatically redirected to the Microsoft Edge browser.
For some the browser inspires nostalgia, and for many more it provokes memories of slow-loading pages, bugs, crashes and frustrations.
It was released in 1995 and, by being bundled with Microsoft's Windows operating system, quickly became the web's most used browser with a share of 95% by 2003.
But as web functionality developed with video streaming and other services, Internet Explorer - despite updates - lagged behind rivals such as Mozilla Firefox in 2004 and Google Chrome in 2008.
Video: End of an era: Microsoft retires Internet Explorer after 27 years (TODAY)
-
More than 175 people contract norovirus on Celebrity cruise ship
TODAY -
Apple unveils headset that blends real and digital world
TODAY -
Prince Harry takes the stand in suit against British tabloid
TODAY -
West Coast port labor issues could spell trouble for supply chain
TODAY -
NTSB begins investigation into crash of plane intercepted by F-16s
TODAY -
Trump lawyers meet with DOJ officials in classified documents case
TODAY -
Chris Christie to kick off 2024 bid in New Hampshire Tuesday
TODAY -
Dam in Ukraine destroyed, unleashing massive surge of water
TODAY -
TODAY fan plays Spring Fling Getaway — and wins a vacation!
TODAY -
La La Anthony talks new rom-com, new outlook on dating
TODAY -
Sweat in style with these outdoor fitness gadgets and accessories
TODAY -
All-female auto mechanic shop helps women build confidence
TODAY -
Padma Lakshmi to leave 'Top Chef' after 17 years
TODAY -
How make the most out of a rest day with active recovery
TODAY -
7 top drugstore beauty buys from skincare to makeup
TODAY -
Kick off summer with these health tips from the Start TODAY community
TODAY
-
More than 175 people contract norovirus on Celebrity cruise ship The CDC says more than 175 people got sick with norovirus during a recent Celebrity Cruise sailing. It is the third norovirus outbreak on Celebrity Cruises in 2023. TODAY
-
Apple unveils headset that blends real and digital world Apple revealed its first new product category in years with the Vision Pro, an augmented reality headset that Apple says seamlessly blends the real and digital world. NBC’s Jake Ward reports for TODAY. TODAY
-
Prince Harry takes the stand in suit against British tabloid For the first time in more than 130 years, a senior member of the royal family is appearing as a witness in court with Prince Harry taking on Mirror Group newspapers over privacy violations. NBC’s Meagan Fitzgerald reports and Daisy McAndrew provides analysis for TODAY. TODAY
Microsoft's successor browser, Edge - which the company announced would be replacing Internet Explorer in 2015 - is bundled with Windows and is today used by about 4% of all web traffic.
The following year, Internet Explorer was dethroned as the most used browser with Chrome taking the top spot - something it has continued to hold ever since.
Partially this is due to mobile browsing dominating the web. Google's Chrome and Apple's browser Safari have succeeded with roughly 65% and 20% of the market share respectively.
This market share has won both companies some trouble.
In 2018 Google was fined €4.34bn (£3.8bn) for forcing phone makers to pre-install apps including Google Search and Chrome to the exclusion of other search engines and web browsers.
Microsoft had a similar tangle with the US Department of Justice around the turn of the millennium, fighting a suit launched in 1997 - and settling it in 2002 - that alleged it used its monopoly with Windows to force out competitors.
Microsoft says that Edge is "a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer", as well as one that crucially remains compatible with "older, legacy websites and applications".
