Finally? Microsoft Announces ‘End of Life’ for Internet Explorer 8, 9 and 10 on Jan. 12

After years of gallivanting from one promotional campaign to the next, Microsoft tried to make the Internet Explorer survive. Unfortunately, even after the launch of Internet Explorer 10 together with Cortana, the browser was just not good enough compared to its current competitors

So, Microsoft has announced that they will no longer be supporting Internet Explorer versions 8, 9 and 10. They will still continue supporting IE9 on the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 and the IE10 will still be utilized on Windows Server 2012, according to Computer World.

Microsoft noted that users should take immediate action because the removal of Internet Explorer browsers could mean that the computer may experience some security issues.

Security updates patch vulnerabilities that may be exploited by malware, helping to keep users and their data safer. Regular security updates help protect computers from malicious attacks, so upgrading and staying current is important.

On Jan. 12, the official “end of life” date for IE’s 8, 9 and 10, Microsoft will be launching the new browser which is Internet Explorer 11. Microsoft users were already receiving the “End of Life” notification upgrade that will set the old versions of IE to the new one. In this article, Microsoft detailed the upgrading process. If the user experiences an incomplete upgrade, they can follow the instructions on the “More Information” section.

Welcoming Internet Explorer 11

The new Internet Explorer 11 can be installed on Windows 7 and Windows 10. However, there will be separate download files for the two operating systems. There are four available download files: IE 11 Windows 7 64-Bit for IT Professionals and Developers, IE 11 Windows 7 Basic, IE11 32-Bit for Windows 10 and IE11 64-Bit for Windows 10.

IE11 was previously launched together with Windows 10. Following Windows 10’s slick design, the IE11 has strong borders and sharp edges. It was considered to be a “solid update” from the previous versions, according to PC Advisor.

The IE11 welcome tab has an impressive look. The browser’s URL/Search Bar is at the top left screen and has ample typing space. The overall user design and navigation have already been considered a great refinement compared to the heavy designs of the other browsers. The flat look also gives the browser a very clean layout.

Comparatively, it has a faster loading speed than that of the previous versions, but websites with Java Scripts are either loading very slow or are not appearing at all. It still has a slow response on the clicking and this will be challenging for computers with lower RAMs. But, the new features are still impressive.

IE11’s Cortana and Other Features

IE11 was made to work with Microsoft’s Siri, Cortana. Cortana’s search options go directly to IE11. IE11 also has the Opera Browser type of bookmarking capability. At the homepage, there are suggested websites and a news feed powered by MSN.

Impressively, IE11 has the best-looking bookmark section out of all the browsers out there because of the easy-navigation feature it has. Opera Browser has an organized overview and folders of all the bookmarks, but IE11’s traditional bookmarking feature more slick and simple.

The toolbar also offers multiple capabilities like annotation and screenshot. Since Microsoft has been retargeting the business and corporate sectors in the market, they have been producing features that are more work-friendly.

The annotation feature allows the user to pause and take a screenshot of the webpage and put highlights on the different parts of the site. There is also a share feature for the URL or webpage without utilizing the share buttons of the actual website.

The unique Reading View feature in IE11 is an outstanding feature for the browser.

“Reading view is a way to experience just the article or blog post you want to read, without the distractions of related (or unrelated) content surrounding the story. Find an article you want to read, switch to reading view, and settle into a great reading experience. When you’re done, just exit reading view to continue browsing on the site,” according to Microsoft.

Internet Explorer 11 upgrade is already available on all Windows systems.

[Image credited to Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images]