Could Internet Explorer’s days be numbered? Reports from Microsoft’s convergence event in the US this week indicated that the software, once a mainstay on every Windows desktop, was set to be ditched in a shake up of the operating system.

But while Microsoft is looking at its new browser, codenamed Project Spartan, playing the starring role in Windows 10, it seems that Internet Explorer isn't being consigned to the recycle bin just yet.

Although the new browser will replace Internet Explorer for most consumers, Microsoft looks set to continue to support the browser, part of Windows since 1995, mainly for enterprise compatibility.

Windows 10 is set to launch in 190 countries later this year.

"We're now researching what the new brand, or the new name, for our browser should be in Windows 10," the firm's marketing chief Chris Capossela said.

At a preview event for Windows 10 in January, Microsoft showed off Spartan for the first time, with the software firmly placed as the new flagship browser for the company’s operating system, which will also run on smartphones and tablets. New features include the ability to edit, annotate and make notes on web pages before saving and sharing them with others.

Internet Explorer's image has suffered in recent years, and competitors such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Apple's Safari have gradually eaten into its user base. According to statistics from StatCounter, the most popular browser is currently Chrome, followed by Internet Explorer and Firefox. Its figures estimated that, over the past 12 months, Chrome held almost 40 per cent of the market, compared with Internet Explorer's 15 per cent.

Additional reporting: PA