Google’s Chrome Jumps Safari

A recent article on Mashable reported that Google’s Chrome web browser has overtaken the 3rd spot in browser popularity.  This pushes Apple’s Safari back to 4th place.  Take a look at this graphic depicting market share between Safari and Chrome:

[image courtesy TheAppleBlog]

Some say it was a matter of time and I agree with them.  Google’s products are often raved over.  Most Google products are compatible with both PC’s and Macs.   This is because they are web-based apps like Google Docs, Google Voice etc.

Apple’s Safari browser is strongly associated with Apple and the Mac, for good reason.  That’s their browser, much like Microsoft’s Explorer.

Explorer has been tarnished with laggy performance and security holes all of which has been well publicized.  The public has lost trust in the pre-loaded browser, not to mention it has been stalled in innovation and keeping up with web standards.  What are PC users suppose to do?  Download the ‘arch-rival’ browser to the nemesis known as Apple?  Of course not!  It probably doesn’t even cross their mind as an option.  That leaves the highly popular Mozilla Firefox as the ‘fallback’ browser.  Firefox has become a huge success since its release in 2004.

There are two things users care about from their browser: speed and security.  This is something Firefox delivers on both fronts, but now they have new competition on their heels with Google Chrome.  Chrome is simple to use, the fastest browser confirmed in independent tests and also the most secure.  What could be causing this rapid gain in market share for the new browser?

Netbooks, plain and simple.  Anyone with half a brain will not use IE on their new netbook.  So they then consider Mozilla Firefox.  There is a problem; Firefox is very harsh on resources and doesn’t run the best on netbooks.  Where does that leave you?  Google Chrome!  It’s lightweight on resources and ultra-fast and secure.  The netbook explosion has definitely helped Chrome become a major player in the browser market.  With no end in sight to the netbook craze, Chrome will continue its upward swing in market share.