To say that it’s the end of an era might just be the understatement of the year.

The days of Internet Explorer bravely asking Microsoft users if they want to switch default browsers are coming to an end. In a statement, Microsoft explained that the Teams web app will no longer be available as of November 30.

Furthermore, the remaining Microsoft 365 apps and services will no longer support the browser starting August 17, 2021.

This latest nail on IE’s coffin is hammered down just seven months after the release of Chrome code-based Microsoft Edge.

Edging Out IE

The days of Internet Explorer ruling the browser market as an uncontested monopoly have long gone. After peaking in 2002, Microsoft failed to innovate the browser, and it quickly descended into oblivion and Internet Explorer became shorthand for outdated technology, security problems, and internet browning that is ever so slow.

According to CNN Edition, by the time Internet Explorer 9 was released in 2011, Microsoft could no longer lure back its original users, who have since migrated to the better-equipped systems of Chrome and Firefox.

With the way people only ever use Internet Explorer to download installers for their browser of choice, it’s a miracle it has stayed alive after all these years.
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Although Microsoft has developed a whole new browser, Microsoft Edge, IE remains pre-installed on Windows PCs to this day, as corporate apps still run on the IE system. 

Microsoft’s complete migration to Edge is coming to a close, though. In fact, the latest version of the Edge browser already hosts web apps originally built for IE.

Gone But Not Quite

In a report by Gadgets 360, Microsoft clarified that the latest version of the world’s most-hated and most-ridiculed browser, IE11, is not completely going away.

“Customers have made business-critical investments in IE11 legacy apps and we respect that those apps are still functioning,” the tech giant said.

Still, the end-goal for Microsoft is to bring all existing customers over to the Chromium-based Edge. After all, the company is confident that their more modern browser is capable of delivering “faster and more responsive Web access” to Microsoft 365 users.