First look: Google's Chrome browser comes to iPad, iPhone
Google's popular Chrome browser, previously available across a wide range of platforms, finally came to Apple's iOS App Store on Thursday, offering cross-platform syncing and connectivity with Google services.
The Chrome browser is a free application (iTunes link) now available in the App Store. The 12.8 megabyte download is a universal application compatible with iPhones, iPad and iPod touches running iOS 4.3 or later.
Upon launching Chrome for the first time, users are asked to enter their Google account e-mail address and password, though this step can be skipped. By tying Chrome for iOS to a Google account, users can sync their personalized Chrome settings from their computer or other device.
Chrome syncs open tabs, bookmarks, passwords, and omnibox data from a computer to the iOS browser. Users can also send pages from Chrome on their computer to an iOS device with one click, and they can even be cached for offline reading.
Given that Google is a search company, it's no surprise that searching is a priority with Chrome. Like in the desktop version of the browser, the same box is used to navigate to a website or to search Google.
Chrome also features a custom keyboard that adds frequently used characters when searching or typing in a URL to the top of the virtual keyboard. A row featuring the colon, period, dash, slash and .com keys sits above the traditional QWERTY interface.
Google's browser also has a dedicated microphone button for quick voice searches to the far right. Tapping on the microphone instantly puts the iPad into listening mode, and searching by voice works quickly and accurately.
Also readily available is a drop-down menu with options for a new tab, new incognito tab, bookmarks, e-mail, settings, help and more. One option "Other Devices," allows users to view tabs they have open in Chrome on other devices, like a Mac or PC.
Unlike Apple's Safari browser for iOS, Google Chrome allows users to open an unlimited number of tabs. Tabs can be flipped through on iPhone or iPod touch like fanning a deck of cards, while on iPad users swipe from edge to edge.
The incognito mode previously found on other versions of Chrome also makes its way to iOS. Incognito allows users to browse the web without saving their history.
Chrome is a welcome addition on iOS, but what it needs more than anything is for Apple to update the iOS mobile operating system to allow users to change their default browser. Currently, opening a URL in a separate application, like Mail, will automatically launch the website in Safari, which is Apple's native built-in browser for iOS.
The Chrome browser is a free application (iTunes link) now available in the App Store. The 12.8 megabyte download is a universal application compatible with iPhones, iPad and iPod touches running iOS 4.3 or later.
Upon launching Chrome for the first time, users are asked to enter their Google account e-mail address and password, though this step can be skipped. By tying Chrome for iOS to a Google account, users can sync their personalized Chrome settings from their computer or other device.
Chrome syncs open tabs, bookmarks, passwords, and omnibox data from a computer to the iOS browser. Users can also send pages from Chrome on their computer to an iOS device with one click, and they can even be cached for offline reading.
Given that Google is a search company, it's no surprise that searching is a priority with Chrome. Like in the desktop version of the browser, the same box is used to navigate to a website or to search Google.
Chrome also features a custom keyboard that adds frequently used characters when searching or typing in a URL to the top of the virtual keyboard. A row featuring the colon, period, dash, slash and .com keys sits above the traditional QWERTY interface.
Google's browser also has a dedicated microphone button for quick voice searches to the far right. Tapping on the microphone instantly puts the iPad into listening mode, and searching by voice works quickly and accurately.
Also readily available is a drop-down menu with options for a new tab, new incognito tab, bookmarks, e-mail, settings, help and more. One option "Other Devices," allows users to view tabs they have open in Chrome on other devices, like a Mac or PC.
Unlike Apple's Safari browser for iOS, Google Chrome allows users to open an unlimited number of tabs. Tabs can be flipped through on iPhone or iPod touch like fanning a deck of cards, while on iPad users swipe from edge to edge.
The incognito mode previously found on other versions of Chrome also makes its way to iOS. Incognito allows users to browse the web without saving their history.
Chrome is a welcome addition on iOS, but what it needs more than anything is for Apple to update the iOS mobile operating system to allow users to change their default browser. Currently, opening a URL in a separate application, like Mail, will automatically launch the website in Safari, which is Apple's native built-in browser for iOS.
Comments
Tried to download it and got pop up saying 'This App is no longer available' WTF???
I guess Apple doesn't want competition since it duplicates functionality. Time to smack Apple with Anti-Trust lawsuit.
Finally a real browser for iOS
Just downloaded and installed it. Very cool.. very slick.. very fast..
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaroonMushroom
Finally a real browser for iOS
Unfortunately, it's slower than Safari because 3rd party apps aren't allowed to use the Nitro JIT engine which speeds up Javascript. =/
The speech recognition is very limited, doesn't interpret names correctly. Although, I wasn't expecting magic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dagamer34
Unfortunately, it's slower than Safari because 3rd party apps aren't allowed to use the Nitro JIT engine which speeds up Javascript. =/
Doesn't feel slower.. I just buzzed around to a few sites and it's very quick.
waste of space since i cannot set a default browser in IOS.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaroonMushroom
Finally a real browser for iOS
Does it have a full-screen mode?
Quote:
Originally Posted by s4mb4
waste of space since i cannot set a default browser in IOS.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dagamer34
Unfortunately, it's slower than Safari because 3rd party apps aren't allowed to use the Nitro JIT engine which speeds up Javascript. =/
Ask Apple why it can't
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacVertigo
Doesn't feel slower.. I just buzzed around to a few sites and it's very quick.
butt dyno?
Well, at least Google is fairly transparent in trying to monetize web searches on the mobile platform. Don't see Internet Explorer doing the same thing yet. Wonder if Facebook is making their own browser to try to garner some mobile-ad dollars? Please just stay AWAY from my browsing history, and quit plastering and pestering me with ads that are "tailored" to my every whim - my whim is NOT having a single ad on ANY device I use, unless I start a search myself.
Its extremely unlikely that apple would ever allow users to change the default browser on mobile.
Well, it's slow like molasses in January (on an iPhone 4), doesn't have a full-screen mode, and seems quite limited, offering nothing more (and quite a bit less) than the competition. Cute effects, though.
Seems faster on the iPad. But gimped compared to iCab.
And really, *more* Google-ware isn't something that tickles my balls anyway.
*uninstalls Chrome.*
(update) nevermind....it took some digging and I found it. It's labeled rather generically though. I do like how you have the option to request the desktop site if you only get mobile (cultofmac.com) and the way it removes tabs. It's fast enough and I think is a good first offer. No full screen support and you can't set as default. Oh well. Not a bad job at all Google.
Seems fast on some we pages. Behaves like a pig on appleinsider.com, but it behaves like a pig at the best of times. But this is jerky, compared to scrolling other sites with chrome.
It syncs some of my logins/passwords but not all. The ability to open sits I am using on other devices is nice.
Pulled already? Or still rolling out?
I'm in the UK and while following the link in article shows me the app information in the App Store I get this error on both my iPad and iPhone after clicking Install App....
Apple needs these kind of features in safari.