Internet Explorer lost its place in 2008 when Google Chrome was launched.

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Launched on August 8, 1995, Internet Explorer was a reworked model of Spyglass Mosaic, one of the first web browsers. By 1996, IE 3.0 became the most popular web browser, allowing users to view JPEG and GIF pictures.

Its first facelift came in 1997 with better speed and Outlook Express replacing Internet mail and news in IE 4.0. In 1999, ‘https’ feature was added to enhance security in IE 5.0. The Internet Explorer saw its heydays from 2001 to 2006 when IE 6.0 was not upgraded for five years.

IE 7.0, whose name was changed to Windows Internet Explorer came with a search tool in 2006, a precursor to Google Chrome. Around this time Mozilla Firefox emerged as a tough competitor. In March 2011, came IE 9.0 bundled with Windows Vista SP2 and Windows 7.

IE 10.0 came with a provision for favourite folder in 2013. Its downfall began in January 2016 when Microsoft discontinued its active technical support for all other versions of IE except IE 11.0. Microsoft Edge replaced IE as the company’s favourite browser.

By 2019, IE’s market share dropped to less than 20 percent from a peak of around 90 percent during its heydays from 2001-06.

Currently, Chrome leads the global web browsing market with 64.47 percent, and in India, it is even higher at 84.05 percent.