Kind of users web browsers have

Pingdon who studied the upgrade pattern for Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari and Opera of users accessing its control panel found some interesting differences between the kinds of users different browsers have. Although Pingdom doesn’t have actual upgrade statistics, they made the assertions by comparing their data with the changes in the market share for the various versions of web browsers. In addition they used data fromStatCounter, who provide browser statistics based on tracking of approximately three million websites globally.

Pingdom got following insights from their study:

Browsers adopt different approaches to encourage or handle upgrades -- Completely automated (Like Google Chrome) or aggressive promotion of new versions (Like Firefox), or a more laid-back approach (IE). And these have their bearings on the upgrade or new version adoption by users. Automated ones, get the best upgrade results, as in this case a user is not asked, followed by aggressive promotion.

User Upgrade behaviour points to different types of users: With 9 out of every 10 PC users in the world using Microsoft’s Windows operating sytem which installs Internet Explorer by default: the intent to use a different browser other than IE points to technologically savvy user. The study finds that Upgrade behavior will in most cases be tied to the kind of users the browser has attracted (Although the upgrade strategy adopted by the browser has also its bearing on the new version adoption too).

IE’s slow upgrade rate, partly points to the technologically conservative user. Again the fact that Windows nests in majority of PCs in this world; logic also says most IE users will be technologically consvervative. Hence IE is slow on upgrade race too.

As Windows operating system is most used in operating system in world PCs; coupled with Microsoft bundling IE with the operating system, it can can be assumed that majority of IE users will be non-tech savvy users—those who buy a PC pre installed , and just use whatever the PC offers. As a result their conservative approach to browsers in particular and PC matters in general is understood.

Pingdom finds the tech savviness of a user directly related to the pace of upgrade adoption.

Pingdom arrived at teh result from the share of different User bowsers accessing pingdom control panel:

IE________________14%
Chrome___________ 21%
Firefox____________ 51%

The above shares of different browsers are very different from the internet average, where IE has more than 50% market share and Firefox and Chrome significantly less.

Thus Pingdom sees its own data pointing to the kind of users a particular browser has. Pingdom defines its users largely as tech savvy; comprising largely of webmasters, sysadmins, web designers, and site owners etc. Hence sees Firefox and Chrome attracting more users than IE, as obvious.

Thus Pingdom study brings home an important point the pace of browser upgrade adoption points to the kind of user a particular browser has; although the strategy adopted by a browser to encourage users to go for an upgrade has its bearing on pace of new browser version adoption too.

In addition, Tech-saviness is directly related to new browser version adoption. As a tech savvy audience (on average), is more inclined to upgrade to the latest version quickly after it arrives. --------

Kind of users web browsers have

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