The battle for dominance on the mobile market between Google and Apple does not seem to have an end. In fact, it is now spreading on different grounds. Google turned to mobile app developers in a new blog post, reminding them that they can add its web browser Chrome as a default browser to their applications.
Although this feature is anything but new, Google has decided to highlight it once again. The company does that with the aim to place its product on the operating system of its rival Apple. Chrome is available for download on iOS devices. However, not many iOS users have installed Google’s browser since the default web browser on their devices is Apple’s Safari. That means that all links they want to open are sent to Safari. Therefore, it makes little sense for them to fill their memory with yet another app. But the Chrome has also a number of advantages.
Realizing that, Google has taken on a new strategy that aims at increasing the use of its products on Apple’s mobile operating system. For that purpose, a couple of days ago, the search engine giant introduced a new version of its Gmail application for iOS mobile devices. Now the app directs users to open links through Google’s own apps like Chrome, YouTube and Google Maps. In that way they are eating off Apple’s mobile app share.
The Chrome feature, for which Google just reminded developers, allows iOS developers to set the browser as a default on their apps. It will enable users to go back and forth to the browser directly from the app. And this is kind of cool especially for iPhone and iPad users.
Accessing the web from an app for iOS devices is not something innovative on the market. Nevertheless, the other two options that currently exist for developers is either to send users away from the application to a browser or to develop their own web browser by using Apple’s WebKit tool. The first option reduces the chances of users getting back in the app. That is because it send them away to a different browser from which they cannot switch back to their previous task. The second option, which includes WebKit, takes developers more time to create.
Therefore, Google Chrome’s integration into iOS mobile application is not useless or meaningless at all. It can make the lives of both users and developers a lot easier.
All signs show that Google is successfully stretching it octopus arms towards Apple’s closed ecosystem. In other words we can say, one wants to expand his market on other’s property. But will the iPhone company deny access to its precious world or strike back at Google? Most probably not!
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