Google Chrome breaks 20 pc globally in June

BOSTON, USA: Google's Chrome exceeded 20 per cent of the worldwide Internet browser market during the month of June for the first time, according to StatCounter, the free website analytics company.

The firm's research arm StatCounter Global Stats reports that Chrome took 20.7 per cent of the global market, up from 2.8 per cent in June 2009. In the same period Microsoft's Internet Explorer has fallen from 59 per cent to 44 per cent globally and Firefox dropped slightly from 30 per cent to 28 per cent.

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"It is a superb achievement by Google to go from under 3 per cent two years ago to over 20 per cent today," commented Aodhan Cullen, CEO, StatCounter.

Cullen added, "While Google has been highly effective in getting Chrome downloaded the real test is actual browser usage which our stats measure."

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Chrome has performed particularly well in South America where it overtook Firefox in April to become the number two browser. In June it reached 29.7 per cent, ahead of Firefox's 24.6 per cent and behind IE at 44.1 per cent.

In the US Chrome has risen to 16 per cent behind market leader IE on 46.5 per cent and Firefox on 24.7 per cent. In the UK, Chrome at 21.1 per cent is now neck and neck with Firefox on 21.7 per cent. IE leads the UK market on 46.4 per cent.