Google Chrome Browser, Google Drive Coming to iOS [Now Available]

[MacRumors]

Google announced today that it is releasing a version of its Google Chrome for the iPhone and iPad. The company says it will go live on the App Store later today. Macquarie analyst Ben Schacter predicted last month that Google Chrome was coming to iOS.

While Chrome for iOS will include a number of key features, including incognito mode and tab syncing across devices, the browser will still use Apple's WebKit-based engine required by the App Store developer guidelines. It also will lack the Nitro JavaScript engine that Apple uses to speed Safari's performance. But, there is one main obstacle to Chrome on iOS, as noted by The Next Web:

The biggest hurdle that Chrome features, of course, is that it cannot be set to be the default browser on iOS devices, a capability that Apple also reserves for Safari. So, while you can use the browser to your heart's content, it will not be the default handler for any URLs clicked. That's a huge hurdle to overcome.

Google Drive -- the DropBox competitor released earlier this year -- also gained an iOS client. [App Store]

Update: Chrome for iOS is now live on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Google Chrome Browser, Google Drive Coming to iOS [Now Available]

[Skika]

oh my

[Feed Me]

Cool, a chrome Android skin for UIWebView.

[mac.cali]

Can't wait to try them out.

[Kurwenal]

Originally Posted by MacRumors

While Chrome for iOS will include a number of key features, including incognito mode and tab syncing across devices

I wonder if it syncs bookmarks and passwords.

ETA:

Google chrome for iOS features all of the tab syncing and credential syncing features of Chrome for Android, allowing you to carry over your settings and browsing from any device to the iPhone and iPad.

Awesome.

[vtstarck]

More iOS users will have Chrome than Android users.

[cypherpunks01]

Apple, give us the choice!

Competition leads to better browsers.

[Kyrra]

Originally Posted by Kurwenal

I wonder if it syncs bookmarks and passwords.

ETA:

It does. It will sync bookmarks, passwords, and open tabs from all other chrome browsers you're logged into.

Source: I'm watching the live stream.

[blackhand1001]

Originally Posted by vtstarck

More iOS users will have Chrome than Android users.

This is essentially gonna be safari with a chrome tab interface. The engine is pretty much identical to safari. Its not like the android version that blows the lid off in speed of every other mobile browser.

[enklined]

Annnnnnd now the wait begins for a jailbreak dev to make a tweak to allow Chrome to be the default browser (pretty please?).

Looking forward to trying Chrome out, though. And, of course, Google Drive.

[SandboxGeneral]

This is welcomed news! Too bad though on the Apple default browser requirement.

[maximus06]

Originally Posted by enklined

Annnnnnd now the wait begins for a jailbreak dev to make a tweak to allow Chrome to be the default browser (pretty please?).

This.

[Fandongo]

And targeting more expensive ads!

[Mazda 3s]

So, while you can use the browser to your heart’s content, it will not be the default handler for any URLs clicked. That’s a huge hurdle to overcome.

Jailbreaking will fix that pretty quickly

[TvdW]

iOS Chrome requires iOS 4.3, while Android Chrome requires Android 4.0. Ironically that means that 99% of the iOS users can use Chrome, while only 10% of the Android users can.

[Roessnakhan]

This is great, I really wanted tab syncing, but didn't want to start using Safari once Mountain Lion rolls around.

[jontech]

Keep your Google off my Apple devices


I am not a product

[bartszyszka]

They could ask developers of popular apps to have an "Open in Chrome" option like they do for "Open in Safari" and use the same code any app loads to open another app (chrome:// URL?). I could see RSS and Twitter apps implement this since they often have options for loading a URL into other services.

Also Google could have an Instapaper-esque API that instead of saving something to a reading list lets people save to their list of open tabs.

[ChazUK]

Originally Posted by jontech

Keep your Google off my Apple devices


I am not a product

Don't download it?
Not that hard is it?

[evorc]

Originally Posted by Mazda 3s

Jailbreaking will fix that pretty quickly

Browserchanger

[Kurwenal]

Originally Posted by Kyrra

It does. It will sync bookmarks, passwords, and open tabs from all other chrome browsers you're logged into.

Source: I'm watching the live stream.

Thank you. Can't wait to switch now.....Ironically, among other features, Chrome handles displaying websites on high-resolution screens better than does Safari and I prefer one browser across all of my devices.

The default browser thing is annoying but I can deal with it.

[slicecom]

Originally Posted by blackhand1001

This is essentially gonna be safari with a chrome tab interface. The engine is pretty much identical to safari. Its not like the android version that blows the lid off in speed of every other mobile browser.

Doesn't the desktop version of chrome run on webkit anyways?

[SandboxGeneral]

Originally Posted by Kurwenal

Thank you. Can't wait to switch now.....Ironically, among other features, Chrome handles displaying websites on high-resolution screens better than does Safari and I prefer one browser across all of my devices.

The default browser thing is annoying but I can deal with it.

This is precisely how I feel too.

[Snypod]

Hopefully now that we have Sparrow and Chrome in the App Store, enough people will complain to Apple and convince them to give users the ability to set default apps.

[Mortalias]

Definitely gonna use Chrome. And wait for the JB tweak to make it default.