Is Internet Explorer 7 usage dropping?

written by Craig, 25 February 2007

Between 1996 and 2001, Microsoft released seven versions of Internet Explorer (counting v5.5). Each improved on the previous version and I, along with most other users, installed them with trembling anticipation!

However, IE7 provides web developers with a dilemma. Many users will install it, but many users won’t - especially those using XP SP1 or below. So it’s necessary to test both IE6 and IE7 independently.

Unfortunately, Microsoft does not provide an easy way to run different versions of IE on the same PC. There are workarounds, but most developers still use a single version of IE for their initial testing.

I have held off upgrading on my primary PC and intend to wait until usage hits 50% of the IE market share. Until a few weeks ago, that had almost happened on the sites where I generate statistics.

But then, IE7 usage dropped. During the past few weeks, the split has become 60:40 in IE6’s favour. Could this be for one or more of the following reasons?

• It’s just a short-term statistical anomaly.
• Was my IE7 usage unnaturally high during the previous months?
• Are people having problems with IE7? Are they uninstalling it and returning to IE6?
• Are people unimpressed by the browser? Are they trying alternatives such as Firefox, Opera and Safari? Certainly Firefox usage has increased during the same period.
• Is Vista having an effect? Does the Vista browser report itself as IE7?

It’s possibly too early to make any assumptions, but has anyone noticed the same pattern?

• categories: web browsers
• tags: firefox, ie, opera, safari
• trackback: http://www.optimalworks.net/blog/2007/software/web-browsers/ie7-usage-dropping/trackback
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5 comments:

1. 25 February 2007 Mitchel Tyrell commented

   Microsoft does provide a solution for running both at the same time, go to the ie blog and search for virutal pc. Your filter is blocking the link

   It goes through virtual pc with a free image of Windows XP with IE6.

   You should not fault Microsoft for using virtualization to run both. Unless I am mistaked Apple doesn’t support running Safari 1.1 and 2.0 on the same installation. Blaming on and not the other would seem hypocritical

2. 26 February 2007 Craig commented

   As mentioned “there are workarounds”, including Virtual PC, VMware, and ways of running different IEs on the same machine (I’ve got IE5, IE5.5, IE6 and IE7 running on a single Linux box).

   However, by default, most people have a single version of IE on their main PC. My point is: which do you choose? I use IE6 for my main testing, but will test IE7 at some point. When IE7 usage reaches 50%, I will switch.

   Incidentally, web developers have been asking browser vendors for multiple version support for many years. Mozilla and Opera make it easy. Microsoft and Apple do not. That’s a fact - not a criticism of any company!

3. 27 February 2007 Thomas commented

   I believe the drop in usage (IE7) is mainly caused by the fact that more people are turning to other browsers. I’ve monitored my own site over the last 5 years and seen IE drop from 96% to below 40%. 20% only from last year alone. Firefox has no passed 50%.

   IE7 is a big step backwards for MS as it appears slow and buggy (my personal opinion).

4. 27 February 2007 Craig commented

   IE usage has dropped, but it depends on your site’s user profile. Technical sites tend to have a larger proportion of Firefox users than general interest sites. Unfortunately, the vast majority of internet users don’t know or care what a browser is and just use whatever they have installed.

   Whilst I’m glad MS are finally giving IE some attention, IE6 will have a large user base for many years to come. IE7 just adds another layer of complication and testing for us overworked web developers!

5. 27 February 2007 guy commented

   It would be great if MS withdrew IE7 from their operating system.
   This is the way they managed to kill netscape.
   As a web developer I think IE7 is a pile of poo. I develop everything to work in Firefox and then 99.999% of the time it works in Opera too. If I develop something in IE it generally wont work in other browsers. I’m sick of it. Microsoft should be forced to desist in their anti-competitive behaviours - especially when the products they release are substandard.