When it comes to the hyper-competitive tech market, a lot of the talk centers around which company is winning at "the next big thing" -- from driverless cars to wearable computers, cutting-edge concepts tend to make excellent headline fodder.
But, as recent research shows, sometimes investors can tell how a tech company is doing by checking in on its least sexy segment.
In a report released by Adobe earlier this month, data shows that Google's (GOOGL -0.83%) (GOOG -0.97%) "Chrome" browser has just recently taken the top spot for visits to U.S.-based websites across both desktop and mobile platforms. With a market share of nearly 32%, the Mountain View company's long-popular application has made significant strides from its 26% benchmark last year.
More important to investors, however, is that it has made those strides at the expense of Google's rivals. With Microsoft's (MSFT 1.88%) Internet Explorer dropping in market share, and Apple's (AAPL 0.30%) Safari nearly non-existent outside of actual Apple products, Google's ability to provide functional, popular products across devices affords it an increasingly 360-degree view into the habits of the modern consumer. Watch below as Lyons George, tech analyst for The Motley Fool, explains why that's yet another reason to consider whether or not Google might just be "winning the Internet."
