Internet Explorer Version in Windows 98
When Microsoft released Windows 98, it included Internet Explorer 4.01 as the default pre-installed web browser. The subsequent release of Windows 98 Second Edition (SE) upgraded this built-in component to Internet Explorer 5.0. This article covers the specific browser versions shipped with each iteration of Windows 98, how the software was integrated into the operating system, and the historical impact of this bundling.
The Original Windows 98 Release
The original edition of Windows 98, released to manufacturing on May 15, 1998, and to retail on June 25, 1998, shipped with Internet Explorer 4.01 (specifically version 4.01 Service Pack 1).
Unlike Windows 95, where Internet Explorer was initially sold separately in the Microsoft Plus! pack or added in later OEM Service Releases, Windows 98 integrated Internet Explorer 4 directly into the core operating system. This integration introduced features such as:
- Active Desktop: Allowed users to place live HTML content directly onto the desktop background.
- Single-Click Navigation: Enabled Windows Explorer to function like a web browser, complete with "Back" and "Forward" navigation buttons.
- Channels: A feature allowing users to subscribe to websites and receive automatically delivered content updates via the push technology standard CDF (Channel Definition Format).
Windows 98 Second Edition (SE)
On May 5, 1999, Microsoft launched Windows 98 Second Edition. This updated version of the operating system replaced IE 4 with Internet Explorer 5.0.
Internet Explorer 5.0 brought substantial performance enhancements, improved support for CSS and XML, 128-bit encryption capabilities, and the Windows Radio toolbar. It also resolved numerous stability and security issues present in the 4.x branch.
Historical Context and Antitrust Scrutiny
The pre-installation and deep integration of Internet Explorer 4 into Windows 98 became the central focus of the landmark antitrust trial United States v. Microsoft Corp. (1998). The Department of Justice argued that Microsoft unlawfully leveraged its Windows operating system monopoly to crush competing web browsers, specifically Netscape Navigator, by making Internet Explorer an unremovable component of Windows 98. Microsoft maintained that the browser and the operating system were unified into a single product to enhance user functionality.