It's like asking "why are all these blank sheets of paper so similar?" Browsers are getting more minimal because browser chrome just gets in the way of the content.

Anyway they're not that similar. Firefox has a search bar, refresh button on the right, and no greyed-out "forward" button. Opera has the speed dial buttons. And Chrome would be the most "minimal" if it weren't for the extension icons over on the right.

It's irritating. I keep Chrome and Firefox both installed so I can test sites on them and it's not until I go to use an addon or Firebug that I realize I somehow ended up using Chrome as my browser for the day rather than my usual favorite Firefox.

It's crazy. Why don't they differentiate themselves like in the good old days?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c5/Internet_Explo...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/93/Netscape_Navig...

Oh wait...

Design convergence?

Perhaps it's what is commonly understood as "what users want" on a windowed desktop OS... perhaps we need to look to new UI inputs/frameworks (mobile, voice) to break out of the current mold?

It's a trick! All three images show the same browser... "Google" :)

at least 50% of those images is the same web page!