Microsoft Edge leapfrogs Firefox, becomes second-most widely-used web browser

After a few missteps, Microsoft seems to be back in the web-browser game, with its gamble on Chromium-based Edge browsers seeming to have paid off. According to the technology resource website Bleeping Computer, Edge has leapfrogged rivals to become the second-most popular desktop web browser across all operating systems.

NetMarketShare gave the Microsoft Edge nearly 7.6 per cent of the market share in March 2020, outdoing Mozilla’s Firefox browser, which had nearly 7.2 per cent of the market share. However, both Edge and Firefox trail the runaway leader Google Chrome, which has 68.5 percent. Notably, Edge has overtaken Firefox, after only being in existence for less than three months.

The rapid rise of Edge is not coincidental. With Microsoft Windows being the most popular operating system in the market at the moment, Edge’s status as the default browser helps, as does the influence exerted by other apps in the Office suite, which run seamlessly with Edge. Moreover, after switching to the Chromium platform, Edge has eliminated a few earlier snags including compatibility, a lacklustre extension library, and most importantly, speed.


Chrome is still the overwhelming favourite among netizens, but the rise of Edge does not bode badly for Google. Windows does encourage Microsoft users to stick to other products in its software ecosystem, including Edge, but it also helps reinforce Chromium’s sway on the web.

It may dissuade developers from building sites that are truly browser-agnostic, instead tempting them to tweak their sites to optimise for Google’s engine. This could end up affecting users of rival browsers like Firefox and Safari.