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This is a poor decision on Google's part. The end result is it tarnishes the Chrome brand. Chrome's features like private browsing and tab/bookmark syncing ar

This is a poor decision on Google's part. The end result is it tarnishes the Chrome brand. Chrome's features like private browsing and tab/bookmark syncing are nice, but the defining feature of the brand IMO is that it is a very fast web browser. By linking the name to an app that will always be inherently slower than Safari on iOS, the brand is lessened with no significant upside. I understand their desire to allow Chrome desktop users to have some meaningful interop between their desktop and mobile browsers, but I think they would have been much better served by not pretending this is an actual Chrome experience (much in the way Firefox allows some interop but keeps the distinction clear).

raldi 14y ago
Download it and try it out -- to me, iOS Chrome seems much faster than Safari: http://itunes.apple.com/en/app/chrome/id535886823?l=nl&mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/en/app/chrome/id535886823?l=nl&m...
- adamjernst 14y ago
  Apple will never allow a JIT Javascript engine on any app except their own, for security reasons. (App Store apps can't allocate pages with the executable bit set, which is a good idea really.)
  - mtgx 14y ago
    I'm sure Microsoft could've used 10 excuses like that for IE back in 2000.
  - dljsjr 14y ago
    While that does, technically, "matter", it doesn't really matter to users. I've been using it for a few minutes and I too can confirm that it feels very, very fast. Which is all that matters. In fact, a few years ago, Mozilla confirmed that seeming faster is much nicer than actually being faster: http://www.johnwaynehill.com/blog/2010/06/16/perceived-speed-performace/ http://www.johnwaynehill.com/blog/2010/06/16/perceived-speed... The point is, the Chrome guys executed well enough on their iOS app that the inherent performance issues really don't seem to be a problem (though I've only been using the app for about 5 minutes so my opinion is limited). And it's quite a pretty app. It brings just enough of the Holographic UI to look nice without looking alien on iOS. They did well.
- mmackh 14y ago
  I have to agree. The app itself feels very native (gestures, smooth animations) and browsing is fast too. It could be the absence of the blue bar on Mobile Safari, but webpages render instantly.
mdwelsh 14y ago
Also keep in mind it's using the Chrome networking stack, just not the rendering and JS engine.

raldi 14y ago

Download it and try it out -- to me, iOS Chrome seems much faster than Safari: http://itunes.apple.com/en/app/chrome/id535886823?l=nl&mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/en/app/chrome/id535886823?l=nl&m...

adamjernst 14y ago
Apple will never allow a JIT Javascript engine on any app except their own, for security reasons. (App Store apps can't allocate pages with the executable bit set, which is a good idea really.)
- mtgx 14y ago
  I'm sure Microsoft could've used 10 excuses like that for IE back in 2000.
- dljsjr 14y ago
  While that does, technically, "matter", it doesn't really matter to users. I've been using it for a few minutes and I too can confirm that it feels very, very fast. Which is all that matters. In fact, a few years ago, Mozilla confirmed that seeming faster is much nicer than actually being faster: http://www.johnwaynehill.com/blog/2010/06/16/perceived-speed-performace/ http://www.johnwaynehill.com/blog/2010/06/16/perceived-speed... The point is, the Chrome guys executed well enough on their iOS app that the inherent performance issues really don't seem to be a problem (though I've only been using the app for about 5 minutes so my opinion is limited). And it's quite a pretty app. It brings just enough of the Holographic UI to look nice without looking alien on iOS. They did well.
mmackh 14y ago
I have to agree. The app itself feels very native (gestures, smooth animations) and browsing is fast too. It could be the absence of the blue bar on Mobile Safari, but webpages render instantly.

mdwelsh 14y ago

Also keep in mind it's using the Chrome networking stack, just not the rendering and JS engine.