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By Sonya Rabbitte, 17 May 2002 14:45

NEWS AOL is to replace Internet Explorer with Netscape as the default browser in its latest release of client software for Mac users, a move that is bound to escalate its heated browser battle with Microsoft. In an email to developers, the company said AOL for Mac OS X version 2 featured an integrated Netscape browser. The software has also been updated to the "aquafied" style of the OS X interface, and supports instant messaging with Mac.com users. Under the terms of a six year deal, AOL offered Internet Explorer as its default browser, but its partnership with Microsoft foundered last year after the two companies disagreed on new terms. Relations reached a new low in January when AOL took Microsoft to court over what it alleged were illegal tactics during the 1990s browser war. More evidence that AOL was further distancing itself from Internet Explorer came with the release of a Netscape-compatible version of its CompuServe online service. The company is also said to be testing a Netscape version of its flagship AOL product. Version 7.0 is due for release later this year. The move has been long predicted and should not have any far reaching implications for either AOL or Microsoft, said Jupiter analyst Dan Stevenson. "It's part of a bigger strategic shift at AOL. This is just the first step, the next step will be to dump Internet Explorer for PC users, they're testing the water with Mac users first. It's a smaller base. I'm just surprised they haven't done it earlier," he said. While Microsoft will lose AOL's 25 million US subscribers, it should hold ground in Europe where AOL has six million users. For related news, see:
AOL dumps IE for Netscape
http://www.silicon.com/a 52749
Forget AOL versus Microsoft - it's always consumer versus vendor
http://www.silicon.com/a 52470
Microsoft calls AOL a 'monopolist'
http://www.silicon.com/a 5