{"id":13168,"date":"2012-07-19T18:12:00","date_gmt":"2012-07-19T17:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aidanfinn.com\/?p=13168"},"modified":"2012-07-19T18:12:00","modified_gmt":"2012-07-19T17:12:00","slug":"microsoft-in-trouble-with-eu-over-browser-chooser-and-why-its-irrelevant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aidanfinn.com\/?p=13168","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft In Trouble With EU Over Browser Chooser \u2013 And Why It\u2019s Irrelevant"},"content":{"rendered":"

You might have heard that the EU is upset with Microsoft because the Browser Chooser that MSFT agreed would be included in Windows 7 for European Union customers was not active in Windows 7 SP1.  Strangely enough, I (a Chrome browser user) noticed this in my last few builds.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The EU forced Microsoft into introducing the Browser Chooser in Windows 7 for local markets.  This would prevent Microsoft from abusing a then monopoly position and enable other browsers to enter the market.  Fair enough I thought, and it worked well.  When you logged into a new PC, you could pick your default browser.  Some joked that IE was the browser you used to download your preferred browser.  <\/p>\n

Then the news<\/a> broke this week that the EU is investigating an issue where this browser chooser was not working in Windows 7 SP1.  And further, the EU could fine Microsoft up to 10% of their earnings over the 18 or so months period: $7 or $8 billion<\/em>!<\/p>\n

Interesting, because although IE still leads worldwide, I\u2019d been hearing over the months that IE had lost the top position in Europe.  What do the stats say?<\/p>\n

According to StatCounter<\/a>, IE is #3 in Europe:<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a><\/p>\n

According to GetClicky<\/a>. IE has continued to decline globally, despite the lack of the browser chooser:<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a><\/p>\n

According to W3Counter, IE also continues to decline globally, despite the lack of a browser chooser:<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In other words, with a browser chooser or not, IE continues to lose market share even if Microsoft owns some 95% of the \u201cPC\u201d market.  We could question Microsoft\u2019s monopoly position (IDC reckon they\u2019ll sell 350 million PCs in 2012) too: Apple have 4% or so of the \u201cPC\u201d market, are set to sell 116 million iPhones ad 54 million iPads<\/a>, almost exclusively using Safari.<\/p>\n

Do we really need a Browser Chooser on Windows?  People have figured out what browser they want and IE is sliding<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And where is the EU mandated chooser for IOS devices?<\/p>\n

It will be interesting to see what happens with Windows RT where IE and Office run on the desktop and no other programs can be installed there.  I wonder if the decision to include the limited desktop at all in Windows RT will backfire?  But that\u2019s a whole other story and the lawyers\/Eurocrats will decide that one (I\u2019m not saying that this is good at all).<\/p>\n

Technorati Tags: Windows 7<\/a>,Internet Explorer<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You might have heard that the EU is upset with Microsoft because the Browser Chooser that MSFT agreed would be included in Windows 7 for European Union customers was not active in Windows 7 SP1.  Strangely enough, I (a Chrome browser user) noticed this in my last few builds. The EU forced Microsoft into introducing … Continue reading “Microsoft In Trouble With EU Over Browser Chooser \u2013 And Why It\u2019s Irrelevant”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[50],"tags":[70,108],"class_list":["post-13168","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-windows-desktop","tag-internet-explorer","tag-windows-7"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t