Google drops support for aging browsers

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Google has told its users they will have to download "modern browsers" if they want access to its applications.

In a blog post this week, the internet giant claimed older versions of Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari didn't "have the chops to provide you with the same high-quality experience" as newer browsers, so Google applications couldn't provide the service the company wanted.

"For web applications to spring even farther ahead of traditional software, our teams need to make use of new capabilities available in modern browsers," wrote Venkat Panchapakesan, vice president of engineering at Google.

As a result, the company will be discontinuing Google App support from 1 August for Firefox 3.5, Internet Explorer 7 and Safari 3, along with all their predecessors.

"In these older browsers you may have trouble using certain features in Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Talk, Google Docs and Google Sites, and eventually these apps may stop working entirely," added Panchapakesan.

"As the world moves more to the web, these new browsers are more than just a modern convenience, they are a necessity for what the future holds."

Jennifer Scott

Jennifer Scott is a former freelance journalist and currently political reporter for Sky News. She has a varied writing history, having started her career at Dennis Publishing, working in various roles across its business technology titles, including ITPro. Jennifer has specialised in a number of areas over the years and has produced a wealth of content for ITPro, focusing largely on data storage, networking, cloud computing, and telecommunications.

Most recently Jennifer has turned her skills to the political sphere and broadcast journalism, where she has worked for the BBC as a political reporter, before moving to Sky News.