Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer continued to lose users in December as Google Chrome snatched market share to grow to a record high 19.1% market share.

According to analytics firm Net Applications, Internet Explorer lost substantial market shares in December after a month where it did not lose share. Internet Explorer finished 2011 still leading the other Internet browsers but steadily losing market shares to land with just 51.9%. IE dropped more than seven points in 2011. In fact Microsoft's browser could drop below 50% by March 2012.

Google Chrome is now within striking distance of Mozilla's Firefox browser. With a market share of 19.1% Chrome could overtake Firefox who fell to 20.8% in December. Google's advertising on the web and TV pushed Chrome's growth and could whittle the competition to a two-way race between Chrome and Mozilla in 2012. According to Net Applications Chrome could reach 20% market share this month or in February and take over the second-place spot from Mozilla in March. Another analytics firm StatCounter already has Chrome ahead of Mozilla by 2 points with 28% to Mozilla's 25.27% share.

Microsoft downplayed the reports of IE's slide and pointed to IE9's performance on Windows 7.

"Based on where the December data currently stands," said Roger Capriotti, the head of Internet Explorer marketing, in a blog post on December 30. "We're pleased to say IE9 ... will soon take the top spot from IE8 on Windows 7, with usage share expected to come in at nearly 25.6% this month."

Internet Explorer 9 held an 11.5% share in December for an increase of 1.2 points from its November figures. IE8 still reigns supreme as Microsoft's most popular browser with 27.3% share of all browsers used.

Other browsers like Apple's Safari stayed steady with 5% and Opera Software's Opera browser gained 0.1% to reach 1.7% share.

Net Applications also reported that 92% of all web surfing was performed on a desktop browser with 8% on mobile devices including tablet computers. The top mobile browser was Apple's Safari with 53% followed by Opera Mini with 22% and Android's browser with 16% of the market share. Symbian's web browser only had 3.3% market share to put it in fifth place.

Net Applications analyzed data from more than 160 million unique visitors who browse 40,000 Web sites that the firm monitors for its clients. The company's website has more browser statistics.