Google Chrome Share Approaches 8% at IE's Expense

Google's Chrome Web browser now sits at 7.98 percent, according to Net Applications' new data. Chrome took share from Microsoft's Internet Explorer, which fell below 60 percent again.

In what has become a familiar pattern, Google's Chrome Web browser gained more market share through September and now sits at 7.98 percent, according to Net Applications' new data.

This time, Chrome took share from Microsoft's Internet Explorer, which had risen back above 60 percent.

IE closed out September at 59.65 percent market share, down from 60.4 percent through August, the researcher said. It will be important to watch how IE's share fairs since the launch of IE 9 in September.

Firefox gained a bit to 29.96 percent, up from 29.93 percent in last month's figures. Apple's Safari rose to 5.27 percent from 5.16 percent the prior month.

Chrome's growth has been impressive, save for a blip in July when it dipped from 7.24 percent in June to 7.16 percent. In a two-month span, Chrome had rallied to gain almost one whole percentage point.

Google claims Chrome has 70 million users, but the company expects that number to grow through a confluence of factors this fall.

For example, Google has accelerated Chrome's build cycle to bring new versions of the browser every six weeks.

The company launched Chrome 6 to the stable channel Sept. 2 on its second birthday, which means a new version is due this month.

Google Chrome is the Web browser for Google TV launching from Sony and Logitech this month.

Logitech is unveiling Google TV Revue set-top box and companion remote Oct. 6 in New York City. Sony will follow this event with its own launch in the Big Apple Oct. 12.

People who buy these TVs and the Android 2.1-based service will access the Web from Chrome on enabled televisions.

Chrome will see more growth from its placement as the Web browser of choice on netbook computers powered by Google's Chrome Operating System. Chrome OS is the underlying platform on which Chrome will run Web applications.

Moreover, Google is launching its Chrome Webstore this month to let developers have a showcase to offer and sell free and paid applications for Chrome-enabled platforms.  

Royal Pingdom crunched its own browser market share numbers for September and discovered Chrome is chomping more share than Net Applications awards it.

Pingdom said Chrome is leeching share from IE and commands 11.5 percent of the market, up from 3.7 percent in September 2009.

The researcher pegged IE at 50 percent of the market, down 58. 4 percent share this time last year. Firefox holds 31.5 percent and Safari garners 4.4 percent share.

No doubt Google favors Pingdom's statistics, but whether one chooses to accept Net Applications' stats or Pingdom's the growth trend for Chrome is clear.