I find it fasÂciÂnatÂing to see the variÂance in browsÂer use in the diverse regions of the world, and nowhere is that variÂance more apparÂent than in mobile web browsers. While in the West we may be used to Chrome and Safari being more or less the only game in town, elseÂwhere in the world the stoÂry is quite difÂferÂent. In this artiÂcle I’m going to take a look at a few charts which illusÂtrate that difference.
The stats used here are colÂlectÂed from the 30 days priÂor to 25th August, takÂen from StatCounter.com. They come with the usuÂal disÂclaimer about the imposÂsiÂbilÂiÂty of getÂting comÂpleteÂly accuÂrate data, and don’t always include feaÂture phone browsers, so should thereÂfore be treatÂed as indicaÂtive rather than conÂcluÂsive. With the caveats out of the way, let’s begin.
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I’ve spent a lot of time in my career writÂing and talkÂing about future web feaÂtures, from CSS3 to Web ComÂpoÂnents. But I’ve recentÂly come to realise that, while I still think these feaÂtures are imporÂtant, I’ve been missÂing out on the bigÂger picÂture: the surÂvival of the open web. That sounds hyperÂbolÂic, I know, but so many artiÂcles I’ve read, conÂverÂsaÂtions I’ve had, and behavÂiours I’ve observed, have led me to the conÂcluÂsion that the open web, in the form we know it now, is under threat.
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Two things hapÂpened last week: news leaked that Opera are planÂning to launch a new browsÂer based on WebKit; and the new disÂcusÂsion tool, Branch, came out of priÂvate beta. As an experÂiÂment, I want to talk about the first on the secÂond, so I invite you to read and parÂticÂiÂpate in my branch Opera Ice: New browsÂer for Android and iPhone comÂing FebÂrua….
The Xbox 360 softÂware update is due to roll out today, and among the many new feaÂtures brings an InterÂnet ExplorÂer app, letÂting you browse the web on your TV (if you’re an Xbox Live Gold memÂber). I was part of the Beta test proÂgramme and have been using Xbox IE for a few months, so here folÂlow some of my thoughts, in a kind of review. ApoloÂgies in advance for the crapÂpy photos.
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This weekÂend I attendÂed the LonÂdon Web StanÂdards group’s State of the BrowsÂer, a one-day event with repÂreÂsenÂtaÂtives of many of the major browsÂer makÂers givÂing us staÂtus reports on their prodÂucts. Chrome, FireÂfox, Opera and BlackÂberÂry were all there; a memÂber of the IE team was due to show but had to pull out for perÂsonÂal reaÂsons (he viewed the live stream and answered some quesÂtions from home). The notable absence was Safari, whose comÂmuÂniÂty engageÂment is realÂly not good enough.
There were long talks and shortÂer breakÂout sesÂsions, as well as plenÂty of time to socialise; the LWS must realÂly be conÂgratÂuÂlatÂed on organÂisÂing such a good event. There was plenÂty of news and talkÂing points throughÂout the day — far too much, realÂly, for me to write here, so I’ll just write up notes of what I found most interÂestÂing to me.
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I downÂloaded the IE9 Beta last night, and while I haven’t had the chance to give it a propÂer once-over yet, I’m pretÂty impressed with its capaÂbilÂiÂties so far. The real star is the hardÂware accelÂerÂaÂtion, which opens pages so fast it seems like magÂic. The new HTML5 and CSS3 supÂport is very welcome.
You can read an in-depth review of it at ZDNet, except it seems to be writÂten by someÂone who doesÂn’t realÂly underÂstand CSS very well.
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