The familiar web browser Internet Explorer is all set to retire on June 15 after 25 years of service.
Launched by Microsoft in 1995, the browser came as an add-on for Windows 95. Its popularity peaked in 1996 as its Java Script-enabled features made viewing photos (in JPEG format) and GIFs possible. After a major jump in 2003, the popularity of IE fell after new browsers like Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome entered the market.
Since 2016, Microsoft has not upgraded IE, with IE 11, released in 2013 being the latest version.
IE has already been replaced by Microsoft’s new browser Microsoft Edge, which according to the company has the compatibility mode for legacy websites and apps that will still require IE core functionality to work.
The company has said that the future of the search engine on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge.
“Not only is Microsoft Edge a faster, more secure and mode modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications,” the company said in a statement.
MS Edge comes with in-built IE mode, to enable users to access legacy IE-based websites and apps.
“We can’t thank everyone enough for supporting Internet Explorer over the years. Many people and organisations around the world have depended on IE to support them as they’ve learned, grown and conducted business online,” Microsoft said in the statement.