Come June 15 and Microsoft will retire Internet Explorer after 27 years. The web browser was first launched in 1995 as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year. While informing about the shut-down, Microsoft Edge Program Manager Sean Lyndersay said that the IE 11 desktop will go out of support on June 15, for certain versions of Windows 10. He added that the future now lies in Microsoft Edge.
For millions around the world, IE served as the first gateway to the webbed world. During the early days of surfing, it was the only launchpad. Those who had computers at home, school, and offices in the 1990s and the early 2000s, have fond memories.
Reportedly, Internet Explorer reached its peak in 2003 with around 95 per cent usage share. However, with the release of the new browsers from other competitors, the user base of internet explorer fell further in the years that followed.
Microsoft 365 ended the support for Internet Explorer on August 17, 2021, and Microsoft Teams ended the support for IE on November 30, 2020. Internet Explorer is all set for discontinuation on June 15, 2022.
Lyndersay further informed that Microsoft Edge is not only faster, but it is a more secure, and more modern browsing experience than the internet explorer. It is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications. This new browser has Internet Explorer mode (IE Mode) built-in, so the consumer can access those legacy Internet Explorer-based websites and applications straight from Microsoft Edge.
However, since Internet Explorer is a Windows Component and is included in long-term lifecycle versions of Windows such as Windows Server 2019, the web browser will continue to receive the security updates until at least 2029.
Also Read: Windows 11 SE Debut As Microsoft’s Latest Attempts To Take On Chromebooks
