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Web Browser News and Market Share Reports Archive 2008

What happened in the WWW browsing world and browser war in the past? This page features important milestones on Internet browser news and releases as well as market share reports from 2008.

The following browser and market report headlines document the history of the Web Browser Versions and Download Links news ticker and are listed chronologically by month.

• Browser News
• Market Share Reports

See the history column on the right side for older news stories and market headlines long ago.

Browser News 2008

January 2009

Currently are no news headlines available for this month.

December

Last Firefox 2.0.0.20 update: Mozilla plugs 13 holes in Firefox 3, retires older 2.0 browser [17.12]

Camino 1.6.6 for Macintosh: Camino 1.6.6 includes the Gecko 1.8.1.19 rendering engine and shares many Firefox security fixes [15.12]

Firefox 3.0.5 and 2.0.0.19: Mozilla Firefox 3.0.5 and Firefox 2.0.0.19 security updates for Windows, Mac and Linux [15.12]

Opera 9.63 is out: Opera Software released Opera 9.63 which addresses several security issues [15.12]

Google Chrome exits beta: Google Chrome browser is no longer a beta version and the full product is now available [12.12]

Mozilla launches Firefox 3.1b2 with private browsing: Firefox 3.1 beta 2 can be downloaded for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux from Mozilla's site [9.12]

Opera 10 alpha 1 released, brings Acid3 victory: Opera's Presto 2.2 engine includes improvements to rendering and standards compliance [5.12]

November

IE 8 pushes back Firefox and Chrome even further: Microsoft has started to throw some of its brain power behind software enhancements [19.11]

Camino reaches version 1.6.5: Camino 1.6.5 upgraded to version 1.8.1.18 of the Mozilla Gecko rendering engine [19.11]

Safari 3.2 adds phishing protection: Apple Safari 3.2 delivers protection from fraudulent phishing Web sites and better identification of online businesses [13.11]

Security updates for Mozilla Firefox and SeaMonkey: Firefox 3.0.4, Firefox 2.0.0.18 and SeaMonkey 1.1.13 patch several critical security bugs [12.11]

October

Mozilla plans for Firefox 2.0's final days: Mozilla is considering just two more security updates for Firefox 2.0 before it retires the browser in December [29.10]

Browsers getting harder and harder to secure: None of the major Web browsers is secure and without significant changes security will continue to be a problem [20.10]

Sunrise: WebKit-based indie Web browser: Sunrise is a browser with a focus on Web developers and programmers [17.10]

Flock 2.0 out of beta: Flock 2.0, built on Firefox 3, gets current Mozilla engine, MySpace support, RSS and more [15.10]

Mozilla Firefox 3.1b1 now available for download: Firefox 3.1 beta 1 is based on the latest Gecko 1.9.1 rendering platform [14.10]

Mozilla locks in Firefox 3.1 feature list: Delayed Firefox 3.1 to have a private browsing mode and beefed up address bar [9.10]

Opera 9.6 intros optimized mail options: Opera 9.6 enhances the performance of its built-in e-mail client, adds new features to Opera Link and RSS [8.10]

iCab 4.2.5 update: iCab 4.2.5, the legacy browser par excellence, offers new and fixed features [4.10]

September

OmniWeb 5.8 arrives: OmniWeb 5.8 browser's base switches to Safari 3.1 WebKit [29.9]

Firefox 3.0.2, Camino 1.6.4 updates available: Healthy platefuls of bug fixes and feature tweaks for popular Gecko-based browsers [24.9]

Mozilla Firefox 3.1 faster than Chrome: Mozilla fights back on Chrome speed claims at executing JavaScript [8.9]

Chrome versus the world: What does Google's new Chrome mean for browser makers like Microsoft, Mozilla, Opera and Apple [3.9]

Google Chrome available today: Google enters the browser market with its beta of the Chrome Web browser [2.9]

August

Internet Explorer 8 beta 2: Microsoft released a second feature-complete test version of Internet Explorer 8 [27.8]

Web apps to run faster with Firefox 3.1: TraceMonkey JavaScript interpreter touts major speed gains for upcoming Mozilla Firefox 3.1 [22.8]

July

Firefox 3 review: The Web browser loved by Windows and Mac users alike returns for round three [31.7]

Firefox 3.1a1 adds new tabs, smart location: Mozilla Firefox 3.1 alpha 1 Shiretoko with Gecko 1.9.1 engine for developers and testers [29.7]

Konqueror 4.1 with KDE 4.1 released: Konqueror 4.1 supports re-opening windows and tabs plus smoother scrolling [29.7]

Firefox 3.0.1 and 2.0.0.16 security updates: Mozilla patches Firefox side of Safari carpet bomb threat [16.7]

Opera Web standards curriculum: Opera Education teaches Web Standards for universities, schools and developers [8.7]

June

Safari 3.1.2 for Mac OS X: Apple Safari 3.1.2 for Tiger and Leopard fixes critical security flaws [30.6]

Safari 3.1.2 addresses security problems: Safari 3.1.2 for Windows includes stability improvements and the latest security updates [19.6]

Mozilla premieres final Firefox 3.0: Firefox 3.0 is a major update that adds a new search tool, anti-hacking protection and revamped bookmarking [17.6]

Opera 9.5 released: Opera 9.5 is engineered as the centerpiece of a Web experience without boundaries [12.6]

Mozilla Firefox 3.0 RC 3: Firefox 3 release candidate 3 works around Mac OS X 10.5.3 bug, final code will ship on 17 June [11.6]

Apple seeding Safari 4.0 to developers: Safari 4 to improve performance with WebKit's SquirrelFish rendering engine [11.6]

Microsoft warns of Apple Safari threat: Safari, IE flaws combine to put Windows users at risk [2.6]

May

Mozilla makes Firefox 3.0 bug-fix decision: Second release candidate for Firefox 3.0 will include fixes for about 40 bugs [28.5]

Camino 1.6 browser gets updated: Free and open source Camino reaches version 1.6.1 [21.5]

Mozilla launches Firefox 3.0 RC1 early: Beats late May schedule, unveils first release candidate for major upgrade [17.5]

April

Open source Camino 1.6 maintenance release: Improvements for security, tabbed browsing, keychain, OpenSearch search engine plug-ins and enhanced AppleScript support [17.4]

Safari 3.1.1, Firefox 2.0.0.14 fix security flaws: Safari 3.1.1 gets WebKit security enhancements, Firefox 2.0.0.14 has bug fixes [16.4]

Firefox 3 versus Safari 3: User interface of Safari 3 beats Mozilla Firefox 3.0 beta on the Mac platform [5.4]

March

Web browser roundup: Macworld took a look at ten of the leading Mac OS X contender [31.3]

Apple Safari 3.1 review: The favorite Mac Web browser adds forward-looking features [26.3]

Opera passes Acid3 test: Opera core developers fixed bugs and added the missing 100% standards support [26.3]

Firefox 2.0.0.13 and SeaMonkey 1.1.9: Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.13 and SeaMonkey 1.1.9 security and stability updates [25.3]

Safari 3.1 on Windows: A true and standards compliant competitor arrives [24.3]

Optimizing page loading in the Web browser: Available bandwidth is a significant factor, so is the connection latency [23.3]

IE8 vs. Firefox and Flock: Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0 or which is the better browser? [22.3]

John Lill on Safari 3.1 for Windows XP and Vista: Mozilla CEO says Apple wrong pushing Safari to Windows users [21.3]

Safari 3.1 update for Mac, Windows: Cross-platform Safari 3.1 adds support for HTML 5 video and audio tags, and CSS animations [18.3]

Opera 9.26 review: Highly customizable browser is stocked with features [13.3]

Mobile Web browsing experience: Comparison of Windows Mobile vs. iPhone Internet surfing [10.3]

Firefox 3 beta 4 review: Firefox 3b4 is 5x faster than IE7, 3x faster than Firefox 2 and brings new Vista hotness [10.3]

Microsoft unveils IE8 beta 1: Anyone can grab the preview of Internet Explorer 8.0 beta 1 for developers [5.3]

Shiira 2.2 review: Browser builds on Safari's technology, but is undone by bugs [4.3]

Latest Safari 3.1 beta: Safari 3.1 to improve the handling of Web forms and faulty JavaScripts [4.3]

Safari 3.0.4 review: Solid, streamlined browser adds new powers in latest version [3.3]

February

Firefox 2.0 review: The multipurpose tool for power browsers [29.2]

SeaMonkey 1.1.8 review: Multipurpose suite mires modern engine in aging interface [28.2]

OmniWeb 5.6 review: Thumbnail tabs make browsing more visual [27.2]

DevonAgent 2.3 review: Powerful search engine and browser combo [26.2]

Camino 1.5 review: Camino 1.5.5 is a faster, Mac-savvier alternative to Firefox [25.2]

Microsoft quietly launches private IE 8 beta: Microsoft to shortly launch test version of Internet Explorer 8.0 [25.2]

Firefox very successful in Germany: Mozilla Firefox crosses 500 million download mark worldwide [24.2]

Opera 9.26 security update: Norwegian Opera 9.26 closes three important security holes [20.2]

NS Navigator 9.0.0.6: Netscape Navigator 9.0.0.6 includes security fixes from Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.12 [20.2]

Opera, Firefox bug could export users' Web history: A flaw in the way Firefox and Opera handle an image file could allow an attacker to see what Web sites a person has visited [18.2]

Mozilla Firefox 3.0b3 is live: First look: Firefox 3 beta 3 polishes rough edges and has more Vista, Mac, Linux look-and-feel [12.2]

Flock 1.0.3 review: Free open source browser offers cool features for the Web 2.0 crowd [11.2]

Mozilla patches Firefox security flaws: Firefox 2.0.0.12, Camino 1.5.5 and SeaMonkey 1.1.8 address three critical vulnerabilities [8.2]

Safari 3.1 in the wings: Apple's future Safari 3.1 to support downloadable Web fonts and HTML 5 features [7.2]

KDE and Konqueror 4.0.1: Konqueror 4.0.1 has numerous stability and performance fixes in KHTML, in its Flash plugin loader and in KJS [5.2]

January

W3C offers HTML 5 draft: World Wide Web Consortium publishes first major upgrade to HTML since 1997 [23.1]

Konqueror 4.0 and KDE 4.0 released: Konqueror 4 is light-weight, well integrated and supports the newest standards such as CSS 3 [11.1]

Flock: The browser that makes browsing obsolete: Flock looks set to become the tool for the Facebook generation [5.1]

iCab 4.0 and 3.0.5 arrive: German iCab 4.0 (Cocoa) and iCab 3.0.5 (Carbon) available as Universal Binary for all PowerPC and Intel Macs [1.1]

Market Share Reports 2008

December

OS and browser stats are milestones, not omens: Traffic stats show a continued decline in Microsoft's browser and operating system dominance [3.12]

November

Apple Safari, Google Chrome gain browser market share: Safari third place overall in the browser wars and gained market share in 2008 [25.11]

Firefox hits 20% worldwide usage: Mozilla Firefox now boasts 20 percent global market share [5.11]

September

Google Chrome impacts all browsers, but Safari: Chrome has seized marketshare from all browsers, but not Safari [17.9]

Internet Explorer loses more market share: Microsoft IE usage falls during August, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera all see gains [4.9]

July

Mac climbs to record 7.94% share: Mac OS X approaches 8 percent market share in June, iPhone at 0.18% [1.7]

June

Firefox 3.0 boosts Mozilla's market share: Firefox's share ended the week at 19.17 per cent [24.6]

Mac OS X, Safari see market share jump in May: Windows, IE lose Web share to Mac OS X, Linux, Safari, Firefox and iPhone [2.6]

May

Apple's Safari, Mozilla's Firefox lose market share: Microsoft's Internet Explorer posts biggest gains in two years [2.5]

April

Browser wars on the Mac: The browser battle on the Mac is between Safari and Firefox [1.4]

March

Mobile Safari gains market share: Apple's browser gained on Nokia in mobile use this year due to iPhone [23.3]

February

Firefox at 16.98%, Safari at 5.82%: Apple's Safari Web browser share hit new all-time high of 5.82% in January 2008 [1.2]

January

Firefox nears 30% share in Europe: Mozilla's Firefox browser finished 2007 with nearly 30% of the European browser market [30.1]

Mac OS hit record 7.3% share in December: Apple's Safari Web browser share hit new all-time high of 5.58% in December 2007 [1.1]