Microsoft is retiring Internet Explorer after 26 years. It may feel like the end of an era for a web browser that was once the market leader and subsequently one of the holy trinity with Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. But the truth is that Internet Explorer had outlived its usefulness.
Bill Gates, Microsoft’s founder, and former CEO had the vision to control the browser industry alongside the PC sector. In the 1990s, there was a rising passion for the Internet among the young and affluent around the world, with the web browser serving as the portal to the World Wide Web.
The Internet Explorer web browser has had various redesigns over the years, but as more people turn to Google’s Chrome, which now dominates both desktop and mobile platforms, interest in Microsoft’s web browser has dwindled. Even now, Internet Explorer does not accept extensions and does not have a default means to sync with other devices, which provides Chrome and Firefox an advantage.
For the time being, Internet Explorer will be included in Windows 10’s Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC). Simply said, Internet Explorer, is no longer available for Windows 10’s consumer editions. However, Microsoft claims the Internet Explorer (IE) Mode in the Chromium-based Edge browser is meant to ensure compatibility with legacy IE-based sites and apps.
