Reports: Microsoft To Replace Internet Explorer In Next Windows Version

(RTTNews) - Software giant Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) could soon have a new web browser in its next Windows version to be showcased at an event on January 21, according to media reports on Tuesday. It could launch a new lighter Google Chrome-like web browser to replace its popular Internet Explorer.

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, is reportedly looking to roll out an entirely new Web browser with Windows 10, with Internet Explorer 11 riding along as a backwards-compatible alternative. Windows 10 could start shipping sometime in the second half of 2015.

The new browser is currently under development at Redmond and has the project codename of "Spartan."

Microsoft's Internet Explorer still continues to be the the most popular browser in the world, with a 58 percent of the user base in 2014, according to NetApplications. The change in web browser comes as Google's Chrome steadily increases its market share as Microsoft fans have been running a love-hate relationship with Internet Explorer.

Meanwhile, other browsers such as Mozilla's Firefox and Opera are steadily losing share.

Internet Explorer has been in the market for the past two decades, and there was a time when it handled about over 90 percent of all web traffic on desktop and laptop machines. However, it has not got much of a foothold in the mobile market due to the ever popular Google Android browser.

The new browser is expected to address both the desktop and mobile market, with Windows 10 being designed to run across a wide range of devices such as phones and tablets as well as laptops and desktops.

MSFT closed Tuesday's regular trading session at $47.02, down $0.43 or 0.91% on a volume of 16.38 million shares.