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Most Popular Desktop Web Browsers | 1993 - 2022

In this data visualization I only include desktop web browsers, so no mobile web browsers. So the numbers will be different after 2008, when smartphones took off. Like the previous visualization this one goes back to the first graphical web browser, Mosaic. Before Mosaic most users browsed the web either with a text based web browser such as Lynx or using Nexus which had a graphical interface, which was easier to use.

2022-02-09 19:00:00 - Captain Gizmo

1993 | Mosaic

First graphical web browser, Mosaic brought the web to life with inline images and links.


1994 | Netscape Navigator

Launched at $49 with a 90 day trial


1995 | Opera

Launched to the public as trialware


1995 | Internet Explorer

That same year IE launched as free add-on to Windows 95


1996

Marc Andreessen co-founded both, Mosaic and Netscape


1997

Netscape held 70% of the market but IE being free and part of Windows was gaining fast. This forced Netscape to became freeware.


1998

Microsoft was taken to court for violating antitrust laws


1999

America Online acquired Netscape for $4.2 billion dollars


2000

Microsoft was found guilty and decided to split IE from Windows


2001

IE was the official winner of the first browser war


2002

Firefox Beta launched, originally called Phoenix, then Firebird


2003. | Safari 1.0

released by Apple


2004 | Firefox 1.0

finally released to the public


2005 | Free Opera

Opera browser becomes freeware


2006 | IE 7.0

Microsoft reintegrated IE into Windows


2008

Netscape Navigator is discontinued after version 9


2008 | Chrome 1.0

Google releases Chrome


2009 | Mobile Web

Mobile browsers and apps start reducing desktop use


2010 | Firefox 3.6

Firefox introduces Personas theme engine with version 3.6


2011 | IE 9

 Introduced new interface


2012 | Chrome overtakes IE


2013 | IE 11

Final version of IE


2014 | Opera 19

Introduced Workspaces feature to organize tabs


2015 | Edge

Microsoft launches Edge to replace IE


2016 | Opera 40

Launches with free VPN & battery saver mode


2017 | Firefox 55

Included VR capability


2018 | Opera 50

Included an anti-Bitcoin mining tool


2019 | Firefox 70

Featured Dark Mode & Tracker Blocker


2020 | Edge

Microsoft introduced Chromium-based Edge and a new logo.


2021 | Chrome

Google begins development of an alternative to cookies to protect user privacy.

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