Google’s Chrome took a punch last month, falling a full percentage point in browser share, while Microsoft’s Edge added a third as much to its bucket.
Meanwhile, Mozilla’s Firefox effectively held steady.
According to data published Thursday by U.S. analytics vendor Net Applications, Chrome’s September share tanked to 69.9%, falling back under the important psychological bar of 70% for the first time since May. The one-point decline was the largest since October 2019, when Chrome dumped 1.1 points.
September’s decline meant that Chrome has fallen for two straight months, very uncharacteristic of the browser leader. Chrome last had a two-month downturn in November-December 2019. After that earlier loss, Chrome rebounded by adding four full percentage points over the following three quarters. In other words, while it may be tempting to see any sustained slide as evidence that Chrome has peaked, previous predictions along those lines have been proven wrong. Several times.
