Firefox Falters as Chrome Muscles In

The Firefox phenomenon could be running out of steam. February saw the browser’s market share inch down for the third month in a row, according to recently released figures. That still gives the upstart open source browser 24.2% of the market, making it easily the second most popular choice behind Internet Explorer. But Google Chrome is sapping its popularity, the Christian Science Monitor reports.

It’s now conceivable Firefox will never cross the once seemingly inevitable 25% mark. Chrome still has a meager 5.6% of the market, but it’s been advertising aggressively, striking distribution deals, and upgrading at a pace not seen since the early days of Firefox. Mozilla has said Firefox won’t update that rapidly anymore, leaving Chrome a real opportunity. (More Firefox stories.)