Most Popular Web Browsers 1993 - 2020
In this data visualization I go back to the first graphical web browser, Mosaic. Before Mosaic most users browsed the web either with a text based web browser such as Lynx or using Nexus which had a graphical interface, which was easier to use.
1993
Mosaic
First graphical web browser
1994
Netscape Navigator
Launched at $49 with a 90 day trial
1995
Internet Explorer
Launched as free add-on to Windows 95
1996
Opera
Launched to the public as trialware
1997
Netscape held 70% of the market but IE being free was gaining fast
1998
This forced Netscape to became freeware
1999
Microsoft was taken to court for violating antitrust laws
America Online acquired Netscape for $4.2 billion
2000
Microsoft was found guilty and decided to split IE from Windows
2001
IE was the official winner of the first browser war
2002
Firefox Beta
Originally called Phoenix, then Firebird
2003
Safari 1.0
released by Apple
2004
Firefox 1.0
finally released to the public
2005
Free Opera
Opera browser becomes freeware
2006
IE 7.0
Microsoft reintegrates IE into Windows
2007
Netscape Ends
Netscape Navigator is discontinued
2008
Chrome 1.0
Google releases Chrome
2009
Mobile Web
Mobile browsers started gaining market share
2010
Firefox 3.6
Firefox introduces Personas theme engine
2011
IE 9
Introduced new interface
2012
Chrome overtakes IE
2013
IE 11
Final version of IE
2014
Opera 19
Introduced Workspaces feature
2015
Edge
Replaced IE
2016
Opera 40
Free VPN & battery saver mode
2017
Firefox 55
Included VR capability
2018
Opera 50
Anti-Bitcoin mining tool
2019
Firefox 70
Dark Mode & Tracker Blocker
What is your favorite browser?
