Microsoft is getting ready to release the first beta version of Internet Explorer 9. September 15, 2010 will be the day where we may see some ultimate changes in web browser war. Or even Internet Explorer may again fail as well. Well the final review is still awaiting.

Development of IE9 began shortly after IE8 had been released. Microsoft began taking features suggestions through Microsoft Connect soon after IE8 was released. On March 16, 2010 Microsoft released first platform preview version of IE9.

Till now Microsoft has released 4 platform previews to help developers and users have a look at the upcoming features in IE9. But recently we saw Google Chrome has update lot many features and saw rapid growth in its market share. Firefox 4 beta 5 tried its best to impress users but found guilty for copying Chrome like features.

Keeping all these things in mind, we started noting down the top 9 ultimate features which can impress its users.

#1. Browsing Window

Internet explorer previous versions used to occupy more window area for its menu, bookmarks and many other things. The browsing window was very small and users had to scroll up and down every time. We expect IE9  comes with a clean browser like Chrome (Firefox has already achieved).

#2. Reduced Menu

If you start noting how many menu elements Internet explorer is having, it may cross some 25+. IE always proved to be very complicated browser with many unwanted features embedded in it. Hope IE9 comes with reduced and easy to use menu.

#3. Shortcuts

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In Google Chrome 6, we saw many shortcuts on the browser screen. Adding important shortcuts for history, bookmarks and etc may attract users as Google Chrome 6 did.

#4. HTML 5 Support

Recently we found that Google Chrome scored top on HTML 5 test and IE 9 showed very poor performance. In PP4, many of the HTML 5 elements are missing which chrome and Firefox have included. Hope IE9 will support all HTML 5 elements and will be web developer friendly browser.

#5. Integrated GPU Acceleration

Hardware (GPU) acceleration appears to be activated by default now in Firefox 4 Beta 5. Google confirmed that Chrome 7 majorly about GPU Acceleration update. If Microsoft integrates GPU Acceleration by default in IE9, we can see high graphical performance and subtle speed increase in graphics-heavy websites. Better GPU Acceleration can steal lot more users towards IE9.

#6. Better CSS Support

Developers were having very tough time while developing a website which can perform well in all the versions of Internet Explorer. But lines of code used to grow high and high while previewing the website on all versions after IE6. With the support of CSS3 and older CSS, hope IE9 reduces the work of web developers.

#7. Open Source

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The main advantage for Google Chromium project and Mozilla’s Firefox is, both are open source project. Using this open source code, software programmers can help Chromium / Firefox team in noting down the bugs and helping in developing best browser.

Many browsers like Hidden Reflex’s Epic Browser used Mozilla source code and Flock is using Chromium 7 code. Feedback from these browsers are helping Google and Mozilla to have error-less browser.

#8. 100/100 Acid3 Test

• The first IE9 Platform Preview featured support for CSS3 and SVG, a new JScript engine called Chakra, and a scored 55/100 on the Acid3 test, up from 20/100 for IE8.
• On May 5, 2010, the second IE9 Platform Preview was released, which featured a score of 68/100 on the Acid3 test and faster performance on the WebKit SunSpider JavaScript benchmark than the first IE9 Platform Preview.
• On June 23, 2010, the third IE9 Platform Preview was released, which featured a score of 83/100 on the Acid3 test and a faster JScript engine than the second IE9 Platform Preview. The third IE9 Platform Preview also includes support for HTML5 audio, video, and canvas tags, and WOFF.
• On August 4, 2010, the fourth IE9 Platform Preview was released, which features a score of 95/100 on the Acid3 test and a faster JScript engine than the third IE9 Platform Preview.

Acid3 is a test page from the Web Standards Project that checks how well a web browser follows certain selected elements from web standards, especially relating to the Document Object Model (DOM) and JavaScript. Currently Firefox is scoring 97/100 in acid3 test and Chrome 6 is already on 100/100!!

Hope IE9 achieves 100/100 to say its a perfect browser for upcoming changes in browsing world!

#9. Windows XP Supportable

Last by not least! All Windows XP users are waiting for when Microsoft will say “IE9 is supportable on Windows XP”. If IE9 works on Windows XP machines then for sure it will be a big hit as market share of Windows XP users are still on top.

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If these features will be added to upcoming IE9 no wonder it will beat other browsers. Already Chrome and Firefox has started acquiring the big market share. We saw Google Chrome 6 and Firefox 4 Beta’s with total restructure in their design and some ultimate features as well. Now its time for IE9 to show its new design get back its share 🙂

September 15, 2010 is the date we are all watching for!!

Anything missed out?? Please let us know 🙂 Thanks for reading 🙂