Microsoft has released its new Web browser, Internet Explorer 9 (IE9).

The new browser will create a more "beautiful" Internet and offers users a new experience in speed and security, claims the company.

More than 40 million people have already downloaded the beta version of IE9 which was first released over a year ago. Microsoft claims it was the highest and fastest adoption rate for any of its beta products.

However, in the browsers category, Microsoft is facing intense competition from Mozilla’s Firefox and Google’s Chrome browsers.

The company said IE9’s performance in graphics, security and privacy will help it compete with rivals. But focus of the upgraded browser seems to be on a beautiful experience.

Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer senior director Ryan Gavin said, "What people care about on the Web is their sites, not their browser. That’s why Internet Explorer 9 is about making those sites shine. The browser is the theater, and the sites people visit are the play, and that is what Internet Explorer 9 makes better — your favorite sites."

The company said that the Web is about to get more immersive. Along with designers and developers from around the world, IE9 delivers a more beautiful Web for Windows, it claims.

Microsoft UK managing director Ashley Highfield said the launch is "the tipping point for the next generation, high definition internet; it’s a critical component for the next chain of events".

Highfield also claimed that the release marked a revival for "web versus apps".

Among the key new features are tools to stop people being tracked as they shift sites, built in hardware acceleration and tools to monitor downloads for virus and Trojan attacks. The browser also allows a hung tab to be isolated so that other tabs are not affected.
IE9 is available for download in 30 languages at beautyoftheweb.com. It does not run on Windows XP and can only be used with Windows 7 and Vista.

Recently, Microsoft launched a campaign to move people away from its older browser, IE6.

Many users, particularly in countries like China, South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia and India, still use IE6. In China 34.5% of web users use IE6.