Will web browser choice affect Internet Explorer?

Microsoft will soon begin offering a Web Browser Choice Screen to European Internet Explorer users, as required by the European Commission, the software manufacturer has announced on its blog.

Today (February 22nd) will see a limited roll-out externally, ahead of a full-scale roll-out in early March, in news which may interest businesses working on a search engine optimisation campaign.

The browser choice screen software update will be offered as an automatic download through Windows Update for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Commenting on the announcement, Bryan Glick, editor-in-chief at Computer Weekly, said it is likely that having to offer Windows users this choice will have an impact on the popularity of Microsoft's own browser, Internet Explorer.

He explained this is because many home users do not really care which browser they are on and will use the one on their PC, but that the changes will now see them having to make a decision.

Explaining the European Commission's decision, Mr Glick said: "Microsoft are in a distinct market for web browsers and if they are marked off by being the dominant provider of PC operating systems with Windows and they bundle in Internet Explorer, that's giving them an unfair competitive advantage in that marketplace."

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