Microsoft releases second IE9 Platform Preview

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Microsoft has released a second preview version of Internet Explorer 9, following on from the test build made available at the MIX10 developer conference in March.

IE9 Platform Preview 2 features improved JavaScript performance, better standards compliance, and hardware acceleration of HTML5, according to a post on the IE blog.

It's still too early in the development of the browser for Preview 2 to be called a beta release, but Microsoft says it is honouring the commitment it made at MIX10 to update the preview approximately every eight weeks.

“When we started planning IE9, we recognised the need for a better feedback loop with developers. The developer community was clear that they wanted pre-release builds of the browser platform in a consistent rhythm, with a good feedback mechanism,” IE general manager Dean Hachamovitch wrote.

The latest preview is 15MB in size and can be downloaded from the IE Test Drive site, which has also been updated with a new set of developer samples showcasing the potential of GPU-powered HTML5, and new features to aid in finding and fixing markup issues.

“Developers should expect much more from browsers in order to deliver the graphically rich, interactive applications that HTML5 will enable. In IE9, our goal is to provide professional-grade, modern HTML5 support on top of modern hardware through Windows,” Hachamovitch revealed.

“The IE9 Platform Preview and the samples at the test drive site show the significant performance gains that web pages enjoy when a browser takes full advantage of the PC’s hardware capabilities through the operating system.”

Despite the emphasis on HTML5, IE9 will continue to support Adobe's Flash technology via an Adobe plug-in – the method currently used by IE8. However, earlier this week Microsoft said it understood Apple's frustrations with the platform.

Like the first preview, which Microsoft says has been downloaded in excess of a million times, the new release has been designed to work alongside IE8 so it can be tested without requiring the existing browser to be uninstalled.

A third preview version of the browser is expected in another eight weeks' time, with Microsoft still not willing to commit to a date for the first official beta release.

Internet Explorer remains the world's most popular web browser, but figures released this week saw its market share dip under 60 per cent for the first time since 1999.

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