Mozilla Firefox 3 overtook Microsoft’s Internet 
Explorer 6 for the first time in February in the Internet Browser Wars according to monthly data from StatCounter Global Stats – our new free analysis tool.
Internet Explorer 7 continues to lead globally with 41% market share. However, Firefox 3 is now in second place with 24% replacing IE 6.
“Since its launch less than a year ago, Firefox 3 has attained nearly one quarter of the global market,” commented Aodhan Cullen, CEO and founder, StatCounter. “IE 7 is consistently holding about 40% of the global market but IE 6 has fallen from 28% in July last to 22% in February this year.”**
The growth in usage of Firefox 3 can be partly attributed to users upgrading to the new version – Firefox 2 market share has fallen from 16% to 3% in the period.
Microsoft’s combined IE 7 and IE 6 market share has fallen from 68% in July last year to 63% now. IE 8 has gained a toehold in the market of just over 1%. Firefox 3 and 2 has grown from 25% in July last to 27% in February 2009.
** Source: Figures based on monthly StatCounter Global Stats analysis.
My latest stats for browsers, but you need to remember ive been using statcounter for two years.
It does suggest the same thing tho, FF3 has overtaken IE6
47.00% MSIE 7.0
14.40% MSIE 6.0
14.20% Firefox 3.0.6
11.40% Firefox 2.0.0
4.20% Firefox 3.0.7
Re Dave:
I can. Most web ‘surfers’ know nothing else than the standard browser they find on their windows pc. Normal people – millions! – who just want to find information.
It’s down to the web owners and designers to make sure their sites and webshops work in most browsers, that solves the problem for most normal – millions! – people.
Karin H
I cant believe so many people are still using IE6, upgrade people, upgrade. Or just switch to firefox 😉
Hi Friends nice work you have done keep improving your project and add more and more new features in this nice project. I would like to suggest you a new feature for global stats that is the keywords that are searched a number of times on the search engines that can help lots of website owners.
FF add-on is so nice, IE can’t compete it.
It I on-line game my blog the order:
1. Firefox 3 (34,1%)
2. Internet Explorer 7 (24,8%)
3. Internet Explorer 6 (20,1%)
4. Internet Explorer 5 (10,3%)
5. Firefox 2 (5,2%)
Hungarians the blog is attended.
I too have upgraded my firefox browser from 2 to 3 recently. I downloaded FF3 long time back but didn’t give it a chance thinking it may be slow on performance. But its extra features, especially showing up links while typing something in the address bar are really good.
Not mention the add-ons that are very valuable with firefox.
Firefox rules, all of the flexible add-ons make it the best choice for anyone that is working on websites whether it’s design, SEO or just hobby website development. IE can’t be overlooked though due to the amount of people viewing our websites through IE6+7 still.
Any way I support IE
The problem is that the most part of the people as been following IE, and make the difference, is difficult to change people.
Firefox 3 is so easy to use I can understand why its gaining ground on the browser wars.
i also use ff3 and like it … IE causes so many problems. yes i sometimes use ie7 but only for testing websites.
FF3 is easier to use and its plugins are great.
Ray_Net, Far East: AFAIK, any IE-only site died long ago, or is dying. Otherwise they would redesign several years ago, when alternative browsers started to rise. Single exception is South Korea, but they don’t upgrade even to IE7 because of compatibility to IE6 bugs.
Yeah, it is quite irritating for me as a loyal FF user. Some website MUST be viewed by IE, unless we can’t use the interactive form, feature etc. Why not they create their website so that can be viewed perfectly by any browser.
We cannot pass fully on FF (i have SeaMonkey) forgetting IE; Just because there are too many webmasters who uses Microsoft products to create their sites. The result is a website so badly written that only IE can display them. IE is able to do it, because microsoft modify IE to accept faults created by microsoft web-site-creators products.
Firefox 3 is by far the best browser on the market today…….I expect them to gain more share of the market each year……..I’m finished with IE
IE alone is sick, use maxthon browser (based on IE) and you won’t use FF anymore…
I think it would be interesting too to find out ‘globally’ where IE looses most of its ground.
Looking at my own stats in statcounter I know our business website gets loads more IE users, where my blogs has more Firefox users. Which means it is still very important to check/watch/see your websites and blogs in both browsers – they can look very different.
Karin H (Keep It Simple Sweetheart, specially in business)
I have been using IE 8 for several days and have not yet been able to get “blocking cookies” to work for stat counter…
Blocking for my FF3 works well… IE 6/7, and Chrome 1.0 also take the cookie.