Software giant Microsoft has released a platform preview for its upcoming browser Internet Explorer 9 (IE9), claiming it will provide better speed, optimized performance and support for HTML5, DOM and CSS3 standards.
Unveiled at MIX10 Web developer conference in Las Vegas, the IE9 platform is not a full web browser, but is intended to give developers an opportunity to test and provide feedback on the underlying platform for Internet Explorer 9, writes India Times Infotech publication in a review of the platform.
Microsoft claims IE9 will be faster than Firefox 3.6 and more attractive to developers, since it will support HTML 5, DOM, CSS3 and hardware-accelerated SVG support.
So far, the IE9 platform gives an insight into the new browser’s JavaScript capabilities, with no beta release in sight or the common features usually found in the browser interface. Called Platform Preview, it will be updated every 8 weeks and the upcoming features will be integrated in the shipped version depending on developers’ feedback.
According to Microsoft, the new IE9 will support only Windows 7 or Vista and will not be available on XP.
“IE9’s GPU-powered graphics take advantage of new technologies available in Windows 7 and back-ported only to Windows Vista. These technologies depend on advancements in the display driver model introduced first in Windows Vista”, said the officials, without confirming any date for the beta release.
The Platform can be installed side-by-side with earlier versions or any other browsers. It is available for download from Microsoft’s website.
