Report: Chrome becomes top browser

In just a few short years, Google’s Chrome browser has taken the world by storm.

In the latest update to what appears to be an amazing trend for Google, the company has managed to break into an industry that had been historically stale and resistant to change, and turned it on its head.

When it comes to Web browsers, there’s no doubt that there has been a distinct shift, and Firefox has proven that change is possible.

But Firefox’s climb to overthrow Internet Explorer was a very long and arduous one. It took forever for many people to decide to take the effort to switch what they knew and were comfortable with.

But then comes Chrome. Just 3.5 years ago, its market penetration was 3.1%. As of April 2012, according to w3schools.com, it now sits at 38.3%.

That makes it the most commonly used browser. Firefox was second at 35.8% while Internet Explorer has sunk to just 18.3%.

Of course, for Google, it was a much easier fight to overtake Firefox than it was for Firefox to overtake Internet Explorer. Google entered the market when users had fully accepted that they have a choice when it comes to browsers.

Google’s success stories are as much about being at the right place at the right as they are about bringing truly revolutionary content to the market. Chrome is a perfect example of that.