# Google announces Chrome for iPhone & iPad!!



## Kid_Eternity (Jun 28, 2012)

Nice!

At bloody last, let's hope it's a proper version and Apple lets it stay on the App Store!


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## Kid_Eternity (Jun 28, 2012)

Quirky video time!


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## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

Chrome is brilliant on Android. Best browser by miles.


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## Kid_Eternity (Jun 28, 2012)

Looking forward to seeing how slick this is!


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## Fez909 (Jun 28, 2012)

I thought third party browsers weren't allowed?


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## maldwyn (Jun 28, 2012)

Not having the option to select it as one's default browser will be rather irritating.


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## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

maldwyn said:


> Not having the option to select it as one's default browser will be rather irritating.


That's Aaaaaple for ya'!


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## maldwyn (Jun 28, 2012)

Someone posted this on Mac rumours, is it true?


> 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.


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## peterkro (Jun 28, 2012)

When's it available,can't see it on iTunes?


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## maldwyn (Jun 28, 2012)

Later today, american time - so early tomorrow for us.


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## FridgeMagnet (Jun 28, 2012)

And the advantages would be...


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## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

FridgeMagnet said:


> And the advantages would be...


Try it. It's the best mobile browser I've used and the desktop sync is nicely done.


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## souljacker (Jun 28, 2012)

editor said:


> Chrome is brilliant on Android. Best browser by miles.


 
Apart from all the bugs, of which there are plenty. I'm sticking with Dolphin until they sort out the random crashes.


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## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

souljacker said:


> Apart from all the bugs, of which there are plenty. I'm sticking with Dolphin until they sort out the random crashes.


I've only had a handful of crashes and I've been running the beta for ages.


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## FridgeMagnet (Jun 28, 2012)

I don't use chrome on the desktop. Apart from that, fine, if it's faster, say, that might be an advantage, or if it has some great UI plus, but I have no idea what these might be, which is why I ask.


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## souljacker (Jun 28, 2012)

Can't see it on the app store yet, unless I'm missing something.


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## baffled (Jun 28, 2012)

I use Chrome as my main laptop browser so will be giving this a go but according to this article http://www.buzzfeed.com/jwherrman/the-problem-with-chrome-for-ios?s=mobile it won't be quicker than Safari as Apple won't let them use the JavaScript Nitro engine.


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## Kid_Eternity (Jun 28, 2012)

Apparently it's slow:



> Chrome for iOS is about 3.5x slower at JavaScript than Safari thanks to the lack of Nitro. 7315ms in Sunspider​


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## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

baffled said:


> ...it won't be quicker than Safari as Apple won't let them use the JavaScript Nitro engine.


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## Kid_Eternity (Jun 28, 2012)

baffled said:


> I use Chrome as my main laptop browser so will be giving this a go but according to this article http://www.buzzfeed.com/jwherrman/the-problem-with-chrome-for-ios?s=mobile it won't be quicker than Safari as Apple won't let them use the JavaScript Nitro engine.


 
Even if they did it'd make little diference because the main issue is the default app thing. All links will still open in Safari only...which is a shame because Chrome is the best desktop browser and there's no reason why it shouldn't be the best mobile one too.


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## elbows (Jun 28, 2012)

Its in the app store now, although I've lost enthusiasm for it having heard some of the details. I'll give it a try after Ive eaten.


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## Kid_Eternity (Jun 28, 2012)

Not showing up for me. Tried G Drive app though which seems pretty useless.


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## baffled (Jun 28, 2012)

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chrome/id535886823?ls=1&mt=8

Gonna have a play in the morning.


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## Kid_Eternity (Jun 28, 2012)

AAAAAAND IT'S GONE!


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## FridgeMagnet (Jun 28, 2012)

Dammit, I had the chance to download a slow browser and I missed it


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## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

I can still see it :
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chrome/id535886823?ls=1&mt=8

Highly ranked too.


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## peterkro (Jun 28, 2012)

It's strange I know a lot a people like it but I much prefer Safari even though they are both based on webkit.I'd be very disappointed if Apple pulled it because it would compete with iOs's core programs,that wouldn't be right.(followed editors link "sorry this app is temporarily unavailable")


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## baffled (Jun 28, 2012)

editor said:
			
		

> I can still see it :
> http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chrome/id535886823?ls=1&mt=8
> 
> Highly ranked too.



You get the message after clicking install.


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## Kid_Eternity (Jun 28, 2012)

editor said:


> I can still see it :
> http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chrome/id535886823?ls=1&mt=8
> 
> Highly ranked too.


 
I can see it but each time you try to download it you get that message...


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## editor (Jun 28, 2012)

The Verge feels the love: 



> At the end of the day, Chrome power users on desktop are going to want to use Chrome for iOS. The app syncs history, bookmarks, and even tabs effortlessly. Unlike most apps Google has released for iOS, Chrome is filled with plenty of nice touches that illustrate how much effort was put into it. If the app ever crashes, you even get a "restore tabs" prompt, just like on desktop. There's Incognito mode (via a nice toggle on iPad) if you want to browse privately. Edge swipe on iPhone generally works great, and could very easily become a UX idea other developers work off of. I think it's time to start begging for "the next big thing" from the big G.


Video: http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/28/3123728/google-chrome-for-ios-hands-on


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## Kid_Eternity (Jun 28, 2012)

Cult of Mac have a video:


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## Lazy Llama (Jun 29, 2012)

The sync is nice but so far browsing''s been jerky, unresponsive and frustrating on my iPhone 4. 
Maybe it'll improve.


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## Kid_Eternity (Jun 29, 2012)

It's back on the app store, just tried it out. Fuck me it's fast! Not quite as slick on scrolling as Safari but loading web pages quicker.


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## elbows (Jun 29, 2012)

Bah, I was hoping it had desktop Chrome goodness like WebGL, but it doesn't.


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## paolo (Jun 29, 2012)

If it had extensions like Adblock, I could use it to strip out the mandatory Facebook stuff on urban. Works a treat on the desktop version.


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## Bungle73 (Jun 29, 2012)

Fez909 said:


> I thought third party browsers weren't allowed?


There are tons of them in the App Store.



paolo said:


> If it had extensions like Adblock, I could use it to strip out the mandatory Facebook stuff on urban. Works a treat on the desktop version.


Try iCab Mobile, it has a built-in ad blocker. It's also probably the best browser on iOS.


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## ChrisC (Jul 24, 2012)

editor said:


> Try it. It's the best mobile browser I've used and the desktop sync is nicely done.


 
I like Dolphin Browser HD the best. But then I'm running Gingerbread.


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## editor (Jul 24, 2012)

It's a shame Apple have crippled Chrome on the iPad because on a Google 4.1 tablet it's as close to a desktop experience as I've ever experience. It's a superb browser and the cross-device syncing is really, really useful.


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## Kid_Eternity (Jul 24, 2012)

elbows said:


> Bah, I was hoping it had desktop Chrome goodness like WebGL, but it doesn't.



It's taken 10% of the other browsers for ios which is impressive given you have to specifically chose to use it...


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## Ted Striker (Jul 24, 2012)

I go some days with it crashing every hour or so (on my Galaxy S2), though oddly enough other days it's ok.


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## Bungle73 (Jul 24, 2012)

editor said:


> It's a shame Apple have crippled Chrome on the iPad because on a Google 4.1 tablet it's as close to a desktop experience as I've ever experience.


In what way?  iCab Mobile is pretty desktop like, and has more options than a regular desktop browser too.



> It's a superb browser and the cross-device syncing is really, really useful.


iOS Chrome has that.  iCab Mobile can sync between iOS devices too.


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## maldwyn (Jul 24, 2012)

editor said:


> It's a shame Apple have crippled Chrome on the iPad...


I love Chrome on the ipad - It's not crippled, more of a limp - so you can't officially atm set it as one's default browser but there are workarounds.


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## editor (Jul 24, 2012)

maldwyn said:


> I love Chrome on the ipad - It's not crippled, more of a limp - so you can't officially atm set it as one's default browser but there are workarounds.


Still a pain in the arse to have to work around Apple's pissing about, no?



> Chrome has many advantages over other browsers, the biggest by far being speed. Unfortunately, Chrome for iOS is crippled in this respect thanks to Apple’s rules on third-party developers. Instead of using Google’s super fast JavaScript rendering engine it has to use Apple’s UIWebView, which is significantly slower, especially on mobile. It shows too. Web pages take longer to load than they do in Safari on the iPhone or Chrome on a desktop. Not only that, scrolling is also slower. The former I could live with, the latter could well become an issue.
> 
> However, Chrome for iOS does bring with it some significant benefits, especially for existing Chrome users. The best of these is without doubt the fact it syncs with your desktop browser so as soon as you sign in your bookmarks, history, open tabs and everything else that syncs across computers are right there for you. This is going to be a Godsend for dedicated Chrome users. It’s certainly a benefit to me. I can have a lot of tabs open at any one time and it used to be a real pain that, once I’d left my desk, I’d have to remember what sites I had open to access them again in Safari, on the move.
> 
> ...


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## souljacker (Jul 24, 2012)

editor said:


> Still a pain in the arse to have to work around Apple's pissing about, no?


 
Nowhere near as much of a pain in the arse that using Safari is.


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## souljacker (Jul 24, 2012)

Ted Striker said:


> I go some days with it crashing every hour or so (on my Galaxy S2), though oddly enough other days it's ok.


 
Me too. Works great on my iPhone, crashes regularly on my S2.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 24, 2012)

paolo said:


> If it had extensions like Adblock, I could use it to strip out the mandatory Facebook stuff on urban. Works a treat on the desktop version.


 
I'd never thought to do that!


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## RaverDrew (Jul 24, 2012)

meh, I've been syncing my desktop and mobile browsers for years using Opera


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jul 25, 2012)

I've not used favorites for years tbf.


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## Bungle73 (Jul 25, 2012)

Global Stoner said:


> I've not used favorites for years tbf.


What?


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## bmd (Jul 28, 2012)

souljacker said:


> Me too. Works great on my iPhone, crashes regularly on my S2.



Never crashed on my rooted and ROM'd S2.


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## Kid_Eternity (Aug 15, 2012)

Some great news today Google + will now open web addresses in Chrome if installed!


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## editor (Aug 15, 2012)

Google+ is so much better than Facebook. The app is really well written and a pleasure to use.

Only problem is that no one uses it.


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## Kid_Eternity (Aug 15, 2012)

That's a pretty big fucking problem given its a social network though...


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## Firky (Aug 16, 2012)

"Are you on Google+?"
"What's that?"


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## Kid_Eternity (Aug 22, 2012)

It's been updated to include social sharing to Facebook and Twitter which works fucking beautifully! Very nice addition to things like other G products opening links in Chrome, it's turning in to the browser of choice for the iPad. Literally as slick as the device itselft. Really hope Google continues to aggressively develop in the iOS space!


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## Bungle73 (Aug 23, 2012)

> it's turning in to the browser of choice for the iPad


Nope, iCab Moblie still holds that crown imo.


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## Kid_Eternity (Aug 23, 2012)

Not tried that one tbh. Might have to have a look if it's better than Chrome.


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## Bungle73 (Aug 24, 2012)

Kid_Eternity said:


> Not tried that one tbh. Might have to have a look if it's better than Chrome.


It's a paid app mind, but very good. A ton of options (like Dropbox and Pocket (and similar services) integration, plus a ton of custimisations). I use it as my main browser. It had tabs way before they got put into Safari (at least on iPad).


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