Microsoft is set to finally drop its 25-year-old Internet Explorer web browser next year so it can focus all of its attention on the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser instead.
In a blog post on its website, Microsoft states that “the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application will be retired and go out of support on June 15, 2022, for certain versions of Windows 10.” Those certain versions of Windows 10 appear to be those without a long-term service contract, which are popular with a lot of commercial and industrial customers who need a consistent, compatible system for years at a time.
In an official statement, Microsoft said, “IE mode support follows the lifecycle of Windows client, Server, and IoT releases at least through 2029. Additionally, Microsoft will give one year of notice before retiring the IE mode experience when the time comes.”
Internet Explorer was once the most widely used web browser, attaining a peak of about 95 per cent usage share by 2003.
Its usage share has since declined with the launch of Firefox (2004) and Google Chrome (2008), and with the growing popularity of mobile operating systems such as Android and iOS that do not support Internet Explorer.
If you’re a consumer using Internet Explorer at home, Microsoft recommends that you transition to Microsoft Edge before June 15, 2022, to start enjoying a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience.
If you’re an organisation using Internet Explorer, you may have a large set of legacy Internet Explorer-based websites and apps, built up over many years.
