Microsoft is escalating its efforts to bring the latest version of Internet Explorer to more than 700 million personal computers in an attempt to re-establish the software maker’s browser as the best way to surf the Web.
Tuesday’s release of Internet Explorer 10 is aimed at PCs running on Windows 7, the most used version of Microsoft Corp.’s flagship operating system for PCs. The final version of Internet Explorer 10 will be automatically sent to all Windows 7 computers set up to get updates.
Internet Explorer 10 is primarily designed for tablet computers and other devices responsive to touch, including a new breed of PCs. Even though relatively few Windows 7 PCs can be controlled with fingers on a display screen, Microsoft is confident Internet Explorer 10 will still have widespread appeal because it loads websites 20 percent faster than its predecessor, said Ryan Gavin, Microsoft’s general manager for the browser.
“Tens of millions” of people downloaded the preview mode on Windows 7, Mr. Gavin said.
About 90 per cent of Windows PCs have been programmed to get the automatic updates, Mr. Gavin said.
It could take several weeks before the Internet Explorer 10 updates are sent to all those computers. Internet 10 doesn’t work on XP, Vista or other older versions of Windows. Internet Explorer 10 already comes with machines running Windows 8.
