Internet Explorer to be replaced after 20 years

Microsoft is to shelve its Internet Explorer (IE) brand after almost 20 years in favour of a new browser, the company has announced.

The replacement, which is currently codenamed Project Spartan, will become the central browser for Windows 10, the company's new operating system due to be launched in 190 countries this summer.

IE has seen a steady decline in users in recent years, with many web commentators suggesting it was slow in comparison to newer competitors such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Apple's Safari.

However, it will still be available in some form, despite the major rebrand - mainly for the benefit of businesses and organisations that still rely on it.

At a launch conference in the United States, Microsoft marketing chief Chris Capossela said: "We're now researching what the new brand, or the new name, for our browser should be in Windows 10."

Spartan and Windows 10 will run across the company's range of devices, including mobile phones, tablets and desktop computers.