Microsoft Internet Explorer 3 (
IE3) was a graphical
web browser released on August 13, 1996 by
Microsoft for
Microsoft Windows and on January 8, 1997 for
Apple Mac OS (see
IE for Mac). It began serious competition against
Netscape Navigator in the first
Browser war. It was also Microsoft's first browser release with a major internal development component. It was the first more widely used version of Internet Explorer, although it did not surpass Netscape or become the browser with the most market share. During its tenure, IE market share went from roughly 3-9% in early 1996 to 20-30 y the end of 1997. In September 1997 it was superseded by Microsoft
Internet Explorer 4.