Google Chrome outpaces Firefox to gain second spot in UK

Chrome is now the UK's second most popular browser, with nearly one in four internet users choosing the Google software over Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer, according to new research.

The latest figures from web metrics firm StatCounter show that Chrome overtook Mozilla's Firefox in the UK browser market in June, and now boasts a share of over 22 per cent, just one per cent more than Firefox.

This is a marked change from July last year when Firefox had nearly 25 per cent of the market and Chrome just over 11 per cent.

The new figures confirm Chrome's strong growth since it was launched in 2008, and are all the more impressive given its relatively young age. Microsoft's Internet Explorer has been around since 1995, Apple's Safari since 2003 and Firefox since 2004.

Internet Explorer continues to dominate the UK browser market with over 45 per cent, according to StatCounter figures, although its growth has fallen by 10 per cent since last year.

Meanwhile, Safari has seen little acceleration in the UK since last year, and has just over eight per cent of the market.

Similarly, Opera's growth has been flat since July 2010, and cannot even boast a one per cent market share.

The browser market looks slightly different worldwide, however, where Chrome is five per cent less popular than Firefox.

Google recently revealed plans to add video chat to Chrome by offering full support for the Web Real Time Communications standard in the browser.