Chrome overtakes Firefox globally for first time

BOSTON, USA: Google's browser Chrome overtook Firefox for the first time globally on a monthly basis in November, according to StatCounter, the free website analytics company.

The firm's research arm StatCounter Global Stats reports that Chrome took 25.69 per cent of the worldwide market (up from 4.66 per cent in November 2009) compared to Firefox's 25.23 per cent.

Microsoft's Internet Explorer still maintains a strong lead globally with 40.63 per cent.

"We can look forward to a fascinating battle between Microsoft and Google as the pace of growth of Chrome suggests that it will become a real rival to Internet Explorer globally," commented Aodhan Cullen, CEO, StatCounter.

"Our stats measure actual browser usage, not downloads, so while Chrome has been highly effective in ensuring downloads our stats show that people are actually using it to access the web also," added Cullen.

In the US Internet Explorer continues to perform strongly and is maintaining market share at 50.66 per cent, up slightly from 50.24 per cent year on year. Firefox retains second place on 20.09 per cent, down from 26.75 per cent. Chrome is up to 17.3 per cent from 10.89 per cent. Safari is on 10.76 per cent from 10.71 per cent.

In the UK, Internet Explorer also leads the market with 42.82 per cent. Chrome is on 24.82 per cent, having overtaken Firefox (20.56 per cent) in July. (For other individual country or regional analysis see StatCounter Global Stats).

StatCounter Global Stats are based on aggregate data collected on a sample exceeding 15 billion page views per month (4 billion from the US) from the StatCounter network of more than three million websites.