If you’re still pondering as to which web browser best suits you, better think fast, as these web browsers are rapidly releasing newer versions in a snap.

After missing its schedule for the release of Firefox 4 (it was released last May – four months behind schedule), Mozilla decided it was time to rev things up by adhering to a faster release schedule.   Firefox 5 was released last June and they are now preparing for the release of Firefox 6, expected some time today.

Some users have had the pleasure of an early peek at what FF6 has to offer, and it boasts faster startup times while using Panorama, better control over permissions, heightened support for HTML5 and better plug-in management.  But Mozilla was reportedly unhappy over users downloading it early and stated that early download traffic overwhelmed their servers and slows the standard release process.  Could this be the reason why FF6 is still not released?

And while Firefox 6 is scheduled release today, Mozilla is already working on its upcoming versions.  Firefox 7 will be moving into the Beta channel while Firefox 8 will be moving to the Aurora channel from the Nightly channel.  Also, Thunderbird 3.1.12, an update to Mozilla’s e-mail software, will be simultaneously released with FF6.

Mozilla’s rapid release schedule is greatly motivated by Google Chrome’s even faster pace, especially now that Chrome Beta (Chrome 14) was released in the beta channel.  Chrome 14 integrates Native Clients that allows C and C++ codes to be executed in the browser with security restrictions similar to JavaScript, which will allow developers to deliver portable, high performance web apps.  Chrome 14 is also aiming to gain more Mac Lion users by making it friendlier for Lion users with print preview and support for Lion features, such as the two-finger swiping gesture to go forward and backward in browsing history, and window animations.

And Microsoft is not left behind the browser race, as Internet Explorer 9 proves to be its best browser yet, offering protection against malware attacks.  Microsoft is not into the rapid release of newer browser versions, as they focused more on fixing bugs in IE9.  Bug-fixes are available through the Windows Update and if your Windows’ automatic update is turned on, you probably have the update installed already.  No details yet as to when IE10 will be released.

The rapid release schedule of browsers these may confuse some people, while others might think that it doesn’t make much of a difference in the grand scheme of things.  But browser competition has intensified over the past few years, especially as new standards develop around HTML5, and mobile browsing becomes an important aspect of long term consumer use and expectations.

For Google, Mozilla and Microsoft, the browser is just a portal towards web access at a larger scale, combined with OS offerings that can enhance a user’s overall experience.  With Mozilla being the latest to delve into the OS realm, and Google leveraging Chrome for its own OS offerings and mobile efforts, the browser becomes a more integral factor for each company, intensifying competition across the board.