There is a continuous fight between tech companies, such as Google and Microsoft, to influence consumers to use their Web browsers. Claire Cain Miller talks about the current rising issue in her article Browser Wars Flare Again, on Little Screens in the NY Times.

Claire Cain Miller is is part of the San Francisco bureau of The Times. She currently covers Google, ecommerce, start-ups, and technology and how it has changed the way we live. She previously was a senior reporter at Forbes and co-produced the Midas List. She has focused her reporting on a range of topics, from health, philanthropy, and to women in business. She graduated from Yale University and UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism.

Browser Icons
Source: webappers.com

Many people are unaware of what a “web browser” is, if asked the question directly. However, little do they may know that they use a browser every time they use the Internet. As the use of browsers have increased, people have learned to store information online, such as Web apps, documents, and photos. Since people are growing to use these, businesses are fighting for people to use their browsers. The use of browsers give companies more control of how people use their products. Companies also learn how people use the Internet, and the companies can improve the overall experience of the population, knowing their interests.

Now that a very high percentage of the current U.S. population have mobile devices with Internet availability, people are browsing the Web with them. Because of this, companies are accomodating to this population by providing faster connection and better availability of Web sites. Although there are certain difficulties with mobile Web browsing, companies such as Google are working to improve the experience, by allowing shopping or playing games on the mobile Web.

“New mobile browsers let people swipe through tabs with their fingers, automatically resize or zoom in on Web pages so they fit a phone’s screen and load pages faster than older mobile browsers. Some also sync with other devices, so things like most-visited Web sites, passwords and credit card numbers are available everywhere.”

For me, I am very out of the loop when it comes to the competition between different browsers and companies. Honestly, I have been using the same browser that was originally downloaded onto my laptop, which is Safari. I am aware that people tend to use Firefox or Google Chrome because they are more reliable and faster, but I do not really care about the small differences they may have.

As many other people, I did not care much about browsers, but simply cared about what is on the Web. However, this article has helped me see that there are large differences in browsers and that it is important to choose one of my liking to support the company that I feel is most reliable and convenient. Before this article, I would not have been able to define what a web browser really is, if asked the question at random.