Chrome leapfrogs IE as world's most used browser

Google Chrome has now overtaken Internet Explorer to become the world's most widely used web browser. Google Chrome briefly became the world's most popular web browser for one weekend in March, but according to figures from Statcounter it has now overtaken Microsoft's Internet Explorer for the foreseeable future.

On desktops, Chrome and IE have been on around 33 per cent each, but the last week shows Chrome taking the lead, The Telegraph reports.

Speaking in March, Aodhan Cullen, StatCounter's chief executive, said ‘at weekends, when people are free to choose what browser to use, many of them are selecting Chrome in preference to IE.'

On March 18, Chrome was used for 32.7 percent of all browsing, while Internet Explorer had 32.5 percent share, according to the report.

Chrome's market share has surged from 17 percent a year ago, while Explorer has slipped from 45 percent a year earlier, the report said.

The Statcounter figures also suggest that Google Android's built-in browser is now the most popular programme on mobile phones.