Microsoft last week began a process that will, eventually if not immediately, result in it canning Internet Explorer (IE), the browser it’s built since 1994.
Although IE survived this initial round of deprecations – or depredations, depending on your browser viewpoint – there’s no guarantee that the final edition of IE will die a natural death in its bed.
Microsoft could kill it at almost any time.
Sinking fast
IE’s share of global browser activity has been shrinking, and sinking, fast. According to U.S.-based analytics company Net Applications, IE’s share fell by nearly 40% between June 30, 2019 and June 30, 2020. If it continues that rate of decline, IE will account for just 2.8% of all browsing worldwide a year from now.
