Netscape unveils latest browser software

Netscape has today finally launched the latest version of its browser software in an attempt to regain lost share against Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

The company, which is owned by AOL, is making its Netscape 6 browser available free of charge from home.netscape.com/download. The browser comes in a variety of different languages including English, French and German.

The share of the market held by Netscape's browser has steadily declined against that of Internet Explorer, which ships with every Windows PC and holds about 70 per cent of the market.

Netscape's browser is more than a year late and analysts said this has contributed to its erosion in market share.

Sarah Skinner, an internet analyst at investment house Durlacher Research, said Internet Explorer has gained a dominant share by including superior features, such as making it easier for developers to build websites.

However, she said the emergence of devices such as internet appliances represent a possible way for Netscape to roll back these gains by taking advantage of a shift in the market.

Version 6 of Netscape's browser, which runs across a variety of platforms, from PCs to consumer devices, has been completely rewritten. At its centre is Gecko technology, which was developed through an open source project called Mozilla. The project took feedback from a volunteer network of internet developers.

According to Netscape, the browser is smaller, faster and easier to download. It lets users combine browsing, email and instant messaging in an integrated environment so that they don't need to run separate applications for each communication task.

The browser features a new address book synchronisation feature that lets users view their address book contact information through the Netscape.com website.

It also includes more than 600 'My Sidebar' tabs that can be customised to suit users' needs, along with features designed to improve personal privacy and security, for example, by giving users more control over cookies.

To reverse its declining share, Netscape will have to get third-party and original equipment manufacturer support, and persuade internet appliance makers to use its Gecko technology in cut-down browsers that will feature in those devices.

An example of this is the internet appliance launched by Gateway and AOL last week, which uses the Gecko technology.

However, an existing deal between AOL and Microsoft means that the service provider will have to use Internet Browser as the embedded browser within its service for home PC users.