The race for the world’s best web browsers is heating up, with OEMs focusing on equipping their hardware with their own software solutions. This is evident from Microsoft’s push for its now-improved Edge browser to be installed on all Windows PCs. The effort appears to be paying off, as Edge is on track to overtake Apple’s Safari browser for the number two spot on the list of the world’s most popular web browsers on desktops.
StatCounter, a web analytics service, has released new data that reflects the growth. According to a recent report, Microsoft Edge is now installed on 9.54 percent of desktop computers worldwide. In comparison, 9.84 percent of desktop web browser users use Apple’s Safari browser.
While both browsers compete fiercely with one another, they are no match for Chrome’s global dominance. Google Chrome leads the list of the most popular desktop web browsers in the world, with a commanding 65.38 percent market share. Mozilla Firefox is the fourth most popular browser after Edge and Safari, with 9.18 percent.
Microsoft has been heavily promoting Edge, particularly since the release of Windows 11 late last year. When attempting to download any other browser on Windows, users are now prompted to try Edge instead. The prompt highlights all of Edge’s features while also listing methods for importing user data from other browsers.
The data migration is intended to make switching to Edge for everyday web browsing easier for users. This data includes the user’s history, bookmarks, browser extensions, payment information, and even saved passwords.
As a result, it is only natural that the user base of Edge has increased significantly in recent months.