Google Makes Chrome Browser for iOS Open Source

[MacRumors]

Google today announced that the code for Chrome for iOS is being added to its Chromium project and will be available through the company's open-source repository going forward.

According to Google, Chrome for iOS was previously kept separate from the rest of the Chromium project because of the "additional complexity" required for the platform, such as the need for the browser to be built using the WebKit rendering engine.

Google says the company's engineers have spent "a lot of time" over the last few years tweaking the Chrome for iOS code needed to upstream into Chromium, a process that was recently completed.

Today, that upstreaming is complete, and developers can compile the iOS version of Chromium like they can for other versions of Chromium. Development speed is also faster now that all of the tests for Chrome for iOS are available to the entire Chromium community and automatically run any time that code is checked in.

Designed as an alternative to Safari, Chrome for iOS is available for free to all users from the iOS App Store. [Direct Link]

Chrome users won't notice any obvious changes to the browser, but the shift to open source will make it easier for Google to release new versions of Chrome for iOS.

Article Link: Google Makes Chrome Browser for iOS Open Source

 

[HappyDude20]

Thank goodness.

Now we'll finally see Chrome hogging a ton of less RAM in the future

 

[scottishwildcat]

Article Link: Google Makes Chrome Browser for iOS Open Source

I thought open source apps weren't allowed on the app store?

 

[coolfactor]

Smart move by Google.

Apple - you're slowly being buried by the faster pace and openness of other companies in this space. Your Safari Technology Preview is a step in the right direction, but it doesn't go far enough. Pace is still too slow.

 

[Zirel]

I thought open source apps weren't allowed on the app store?

Complete BS.

Google today announced that the code for Chrome for iOS is being added to its Chromium project and will be available through the company's open-source repository going forward.

No, this is marketing BS.

This, like Chromium isn't the complete Chrome App from Google, this is the "clean" part, the part where they add code to "better integrate with Google services" is kept closed.

Smart move by Google.

Apple - you're slowly being buried by the faster pace and openness of other companies in this space. Your Safari Technology Preview is a step in the right direction, but it doesn't go far enough. Pace is still too slow.

That's rich...

1. Now that you mention Safari, WebKit is the world's #1 browser engine (iOS, Apple, every Chinese Android device, every Samsung, every PS4, etc. etc. etc.)

1. XNU is the world's second most used open-soruce Kernel

2. Swift is one of the strongest new languages right now and is Open Source, and by Apple

3. LLVM while not technically being Apple, their leaders are Apple employees dedicated to the project.

 

[iBluetooth]

Thank goodness.

Now we'll finally see Chrome hogging a ton of less RAM in the future

Your confusing with the Mac version
[doublepost=1485897041][/doublepost]

Smart move by Google.

Apple - you're slowly being buried by the faster pace and openness of other companies in this space. Your Safari Technology Preview is a step in the right direction, but it doesn't go far enough. Pace is still too slow.

None of Google projects is open source allowing others to participate. But Swift is an example of how an open source should be.

 

[tito2020]

Open source is the future put in or put out.

 

[MacFan23]

Smart move by Google.

Apple - you're slowly being buried by the faster pace and openness of other companies in this space. Your Safari Technology Preview is a step in the right direction, but it doesn't go far enough. Pace is still too slow.

Don't they get credit for WebKit?

 

[Michael Goff]

Don't they get credit for WebKit?

Yes. But that doesn't mean they're not being outpaced today by Google.

 

[bartvk]

I thought open source apps weren't allowed on the app store?

Complete BS.

Funny how you say this with complete confidence, when in the past we've seen friction between the terms of the GPL and the App Store:
https://www.engadget.com/2011/01/08/apple-pulls-vlc-from-the-itunes-store/

 

[Michael Goff]

Funny how you say this with complete confidence, when in the past we've seen frictino between the terms of the GPL and the App Store:
https://www.engadget.com/2011/01/08/apple-pulls-vlc-from-the-itunes-store/

Open Source does not mean GPL. In fact, GPL 3 is just plain awful.

 

[MrGuder]

Does this mean that chrome for Mac is safer to use as far as privacy vs Safari?

 

[Michael Goff]

Does this mean that chrome for Mac is safer to use as far as privacy vs Safari?

No? If you're using Chrome on macOS, there's a lot of that still closed source. And those Google bits are the ones that are the privacy concerns.

 

[Zirel]

Funny how you say this with complete confidence, when in the past we've seen friction between the terms of the GPL and the App Store:
https://www.engadget.com/2011/01/08/apple-pulls-vlc-from-the-itunes-store/

Do you understand what open source means?

Not all Open Source software is GPL, and GPLv3 at that.

 

[newyorkone]

Complete BS.



No, this is marketing BS.

This, like Chromium isn't the complete Chrome App from Google, this is the "clean" part, the part where they add code to "better integrate with Google services" is kept closed.

Exactly, if was a true open source app, then people would get rid of all the tracking and advertising nonsense...

 

[MacBH928]

How does Google benefit from building an open source browser for the world to use for free?

 

[flyinmac]

How does Google benefit from building an open source browser for the world to use for free?

Essentially, they get more programmers working on refining the code. And, they don't have to pay them.

 

[vault]

This, like Chromium isn't the complete Chrome App from Google, this is the "clean" part, the part where they add code to "better integrate with Google services" is kept closed.

The main differences between Chromium and Chrome are lack of propriety codecs, widevine DRM plugin, trademarks, flash and Google Update (which is open source anyway). All of the "Google services" components (like sync settings) are part of open source Chromium.

 

[legofisher]

It's a definite game changing move. At least it would be faster now. No?