Microsoft’s web browsers suffered a big drop in user share last month according to some fresh statistics, with both Internet Explorer and Edge struggling badly.
Internet Explorer has slid to 9.94% in the figures for September from Net Applications, the first time the browser has dropped below the 10% mark.
Edge of the cliff
But even when you consider Windows 10 systems in isolation, Net Applications estimates that only 10.9% of users browse the web with Edge – and worryingly for Microsoft, that represents a 0.5% drop since the previous month.
That said, Windows 10’s October 2018 Update will likely be shown off at Microsoft’s press event on October 2, and we could possibly see the rollout of the big update begin as well.
And this fresh version of Windows 10 contains a good number of enhancements to the Edge browser, with Microsoft working hard to turn the tide and finally get those adoption figures trending upwards rather than slipping.
Improvements include the browser finally ditching passwords to support more secure biometric logins, along with fine-tuning of the menus and interface in general – making it easier to organize groups of tabs you’ve set aside in Edge, for example – and fixing issues like the inability to handle big (4GB-plus) downloads.
However, some of these measures – particularly the latter – are things that should have already been implemented, and part of the reason Edge is struggling is due to the fact that it’s still seen as not fully finished in some respects.
Microsoft needs to change that perception – and quickly, it would seem.
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