Comments for StatCounter: IE8 is Off to a Slow Start

StatCounter: IE8 is Off to a Slow Start

2009-03-20T17:59:46Z

Yesterday, Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8 finally came out of beta, but according to the latest data from StatCounter's GlobalStats, users are not exactly in a rush to update their browsers to IE8 just yet. Even though IE8 had been in public beta testing for a year, its market share only rose from 1.39% on its launch day to 1.56% today.

]]> In contrast, by the end of its beta testing period, Firefox 3 already had 7.8% market share, which then doubled to 18.9% over the next three days after the launch of the final version (though with the help of quite a bit of hype). Of course, Firefox users are probably a bit more willing to experiment with new browser versions than IE7 users. The numbers for IE8 could change very quickly if Microsoft decides to push it out as an update through the Windows Update service, but Microsoft has not announced whether it plans to do so anytime soon.

Source: StatCounter Global Stats - Browser Version Market Share

The fact that as of today almost 23% of all Internet surfers are still using IE6, however, leads us to believe that it will take a while before a larger number of IE7 and IE6 users will switch to IE8. While it's a major update, IE8 does not include a lot of new 'must-have' features for most users who just use their browser to get around on the net, and who probably don't care much about accelerators and web slices.

Comment from Michael Kimsal on 2009-03-20

2009-03-20T19:00:15Z

Might be because it was broken for some people? I haven't read anything about this being the case for others, but I suspect I wasn't alone in not being able to install it. I tried on 3 occasions to download and install it, and each time, after about 20 minutes of the system futzing around, I got "problem installing IE8 - reboot the system to rollback any changes". That wasn't the exact text, but something to that effect. Perhaps more people tried to go to IE8 and it just wouldn't install for them?

Comment from Elroy Jetson on 2009-03-20

2009-03-20T19:07:35Z

I am interested to understand what "must-have" features IE8 is missing? Accelerators is a far better UI than Firefox's Ubiquity. And it has tab isolation which is a fantastic feature that is missing from all but Google Chrome.

Comment from John on 2009-03-20

2009-03-20T19:47:50Z

From what i gather IE8 is being compared to windows vista. All bells and whistles lots of overhead. What I want is a fast wb browsing experience and security. IE8 has already been hacked.

Comment from John on 2009-03-20

2009-03-20T19:53:36Z

Get a clue, Elroy. IE8 is still the slowest. It is still the buggiest. And it is still destined to be the most targeted software on the planet because it is chock full of security holes. Those are the must-have features it is missing.

Comment from Edward Traxler on 2009-03-20

2009-03-20T20:14:49Z

I started using Google Chrome simply because it was faster then either IE 7 or Firefox. Why bother to upgrade to a newer version of a browser that I don't use because it is just too darn slow? Kinda reminds me of how I would use Wordpad instead of Word if it simply had a spell checker . . speed over flash.

Comment from vigosshong on 2009-03-20

2009-03-20T20:27:35Z

I use firefox , not IE8

Comment from j smith on 2009-03-20

2009-03-20T20:44:33Z

IE8 = FireFox Downloader 8.0

Comment from Joe on 2009-03-20

2009-03-20T22:53:20Z

I downloaded yesterday and other than to quickly take it through a road test it's just evolution not really innovation!

Comment from Matthew on 2009-03-20

2009-03-20T23:17:16Z

People who haven't upgraded because they use a real browser, like many commenters, aren't the ones that should upgrade anyway, it's the people stuck on ie6 obliviously using painfully hacked websites. it's got to stop sometime, and that these people aren't moving to the new tech is becoming genuinely worrisome.

Comment from Lois on 2009-03-20

2009-03-21T00:28:57Z

Could a part of it also accounts to the use of pirated Windows ?

When they actually realize they're using pirated version with hack, there is reluctance to install updates from Microsoft in worries that it will install WGA again. Thus they used IE6 (default in XP ?) and never upgrade even when IE7 is pushed out.

Comment from TechNald on 2009-03-21

2009-03-21T15:55:23Z

ie8 is a heavy program and consumes a large amount of memory. I use mozilla or chrome co'z they are more faster.

Comment from Nat on 2009-03-21

2009-03-21T22:54:07Z

IE lost me 7 years ago and i don't need to go back.

Nat
http://www.loopcity.com/

Comment from Matt Wiseley on 2009-03-22

2009-03-22T15:49:37Z

As a web developer, a new version of IE is just a burden. Microsoft makes it difficult (arguably impossible) for developers to test on multiple versions of IE. In version 8, they still don't provide developer tools (a la Firebug and Safari's dev tools). The tools MS does provide are severely lacking at best and totally broken at worst. It seems to me that Microsoft should be actively courting web developers instead of making their lives more difficult if they want IE to succeed beyond Windows users who just use whatever comes on their PC.

Comment from Simon Prendiville on 2009-03-23

2009-03-23T12:34:51Z

IE8, no thanks! Too slow to load and too many 'not responding' error messages. In a nutshell IE8's a 'pita'.
Think about it!

Comment from afnetman on 2009-03-24

2009-03-24T08:07:45Z

I tried IE8 beta, RC1 an the full blown versions and had to revert back to IE& as 8 keeps hanging when two tabs or more are open. The only way to clear the hanging problem is to bring up Task Manager and close the window that way. It seem s like a huge step backwards for Microsoft. I am using Vista home premium.

Comment from repr on 2009-05-14

2009-05-15T00:27:08Z

ie8 is way too slow on loading and when opening tabs.ie7 seems like ie10 compared to ie8.At least thats what my experience with it was like.

Comment from free virtual worlds for kids on 2009-06-04

2009-06-04T18:02:55Z

IE8 works slower than Google Chrome for me. I'm sticking with Chrome.

Comment from Website Design on 2009-10-24

2009-10-24T15:04:53Z

Yes, IE8 slow than other Browser such as Firefox.

I love firefox. It's fast flexible and reliable.

Reguard.