This is the new browser Microsoft wants you to use instead of Internet Explorer (MSFT)

If you're scratching your head and wondering why Microsoft is making a new web browser from scratch, just take a look at this chart:

Internet Explorer, which not long ago totally dominated the browser market, has been eclipsed in recent years by Google Chrome, according to stats compiled by Dadaviz. Older versions of Explorer had their problems, and even though the newest version is pretty good, people rarely use it.

So it's back to the drawing board for Microsoft. When Microsoft releases Windows 10 later this year, it'll come with a new browser, which is codenamed Project Spartan for now. (Explorer will still stick around, but it seems likely that Microsoft will phase it out over time.)

On Monday, Microsoft released an early version of Spartan to public testers of Windows 10. Spartan isn't even close to finished, but it does give us a good idea where Microsoft is headed.

There's nothing revolutionary about Spartan, but I do like the clean design and integration with Cortana, Microsoft's digital assistant that comes with Windows phones and Windows 10.

Let's take a quick tour.

That's really about it for now.

Spartan is still just a web browser. But it's also a new way for Microsoft to refresh user expectations and hopefully entice them to start using one of the company's own browsers again. Explorer may be a great, but the stigma has turned people off.

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