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Google Chrome Could Be Made Available For iPhone Soon

Back in February, Chrome released its mobile browser for Android devices. Still in beta mode, it offers users an alternative to the traditional mobile browsers out there and offers the same functionality that you would normally associate with the desktop version. Now, new reports are suggesting that the app will be making its way onto the iPhone...

15 May 2012

technology

Back in February, Chrome released its mobile browser for Android devices. Still in beta mode, it offers users an alternative to the traditional mobile browsers out there and offers the same functionality that you would normally associate with the desktop version.

Now Business Insider is reporting that Apple may already be reviewing Google's submitted code for a Chrome browser for iOS which is due for release sometime this year. _µ__According to_µ__Macquarie_µ__analyst Ben Schacter,_µ__Chrome for iOS could be out as soon as the second quarter of 2012, or at the end of the year at the very latest.

If this does happen to be true, it could be a significant deal for both Apple and Google. According to Schacter, Google is paying Apple an estimated 50 - 60 per cent revenue share for searches done through the Safari search bar. If this is true, than creating a viable alternative to Safari would save Google a serious amount of money.

Chrome has been a huge succes for Google, having overtaken Firefox and Safari to become the second most popular browser after Internet Explorer. However, mobile browsing is a different ball game and it could be a case that its inclusion won't be enough to knock Safari off the top.

Currently the only real alternative to Safari on iOS is Oprah, but any third party iOS browser apps are defeated by the fact that whenever you open a link on any app or service, your iPhone will automatically open the link in Safari.

However, the only problem is that Google's iOS products like Gmail haven't exactly set the world alight so there's nothing to say that it will be better than Safari if and when it's released.

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