Internet Explorer 9 Release Candidate will sport minor UI changes

By Tom Warren, on 8th Dec 10 7:35 pm with 19 Comments

Internet Explorer 9 RC

Microsoft is planning minor UI tweaks to Internet Explorer 9 for the Release Candidate (RC) build in early 2011.

The software giant unveiled a new “Tracking Protection” feature for Internet Explorer 9 yesterday and in-doing so revealed a new build of IE9. WinRumors understands this build is very close to what will become the final RC code ready for early 2011. The build features square tabs and minor UI enhancements to the address bar buttons in Internet Explorer 9. Microsoft has also updated its download manager so that it now displays the transfer speed without the need to hover over individual downloads.

Microsoft revealed earlier this week that the IE9 beta has clocked up over 15 million downloads. Internet Explorer 9 beta made its debut on September 15 to a fanfare of Gorillaz appearances and anticipation of Microsoft’s new look browser. The next generation browser has received a warm welcome from tech enthusiasts, developers and the media. The browser has been so popular that it grabbed 0.25% of browser market share in just two weeks.

Microsoft has targeted developers in a heavy way with Internet Explorer 9. IE 9 takes advantage of the power of the GPU for all page rendering and developers can exploit this using CSS, DHTML and javascript. A new JS engine (codenamed Chakra) is also built into Internet Explorer 9 with greater interoperability and standards support all round. Features such as rounded corner CSS support are now built in.

Microsoft has also introduced broader support for HTML5 in IE9 through its new script engine. Microsoft recently performed W3C Web Standards tests on IE9, including HTML5, SVG 1.1 2nd edition, CSS3 media queries, CSS3 borders & backgrounds, CSS3 selectors, DOM level 3 core, DOM level 3 events and DOM level 2 style. Microsoft’s IE9 is the first and only browser to deliver full hardware acceleration of all HTML5 content. Other competitors, including Mozilla and Google, are planning select hardware acceleration but at the moment Internet Explorer 9 wins hands down.

Microsoft has promised to deliver the Release Candidate of Internet Explorer 9 in “early 2011.”

  • ted

    That is incredibly ugly. UI revisions are supposed to be an improvement.

    • http://twitter.com/mackenziepricee mackenziepricee

      Looks way better IMHO. The current version has that stupid white bat underneath the tabs.

    • ted

      so you prefer the glitchy looking black line under it now? At least the white line blended with the tabs. And the new tabs themselves look like a very old style design in my opinion.

    • Grannyville7989

      “Glitchy looking black line”?

    • ted

      go look up a full picture of the UI, winrumors covers up the bottom of the tabs in their photo, so you cant see it.

    • guest

      Still don’t get the “black line” thing. I’m using the beta and I don’t get it. There is the white line under the tabs but other than that, idk what you are talking about.

  • GP007

    The tab change is pretty minor that it doesn’t bother me either way. I wonder what else they might have changed though.

  • Grannyville7989

    I want a new Favourites Bar (and remove that folder you get in the Favourites menu) and Find bar. The current versions of it doesn’t suit the rest of the UI of IE9 as it still uses the old IE7/8 style.

    • Haloman3514

      You really don’t need a Favourits Bar when you can just pin the sites… I think that’s what Microsoft is going for. Personally I have facebook, Twitter, and hulu pinned; these sites used to be in my faves bar.

  • anonymous

    As long as it doesn’t restore the full customizability of IE8, I am not touching IE9.

    • Haloman3514

      Customizablility really doesn’t matter when it comes to how well the default UI works. I am using the IE9 beta now and don’t have a problem with the lack of customizability.

  • http://twitter.com/David0985 David T Jr

    Will try IE 9 when it goes RTM

  • Julienschwaab

    I’m still wondering why microsoft isn’t keep size off tab when closing them like chrome do, so mouse always at the good place !
    common this is cool functionnality

  • Anonymous

    hopefully the UI is customizable. problem solved :) oh, and include spell check dammit!

    • Grannyville7989

      Agreed! A system wide spell checker that Mac OS X has wouldn’t go a miss either.

  • Anonymous

    Hate the new design…

  • Lee

    I agree, they need to change the way favorites are handled, chrome and firefox do this more intuitively, less clicking and it looks nicer. I just think the favorites window is ugly compared to the nice IE9 interface.

  • Lee

    I think the new design is much better, its just more refined and professional looking to me, looks less bulky. Glad to see the change.

  • 6205

    These new tabs look better…