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Google Chrome, One Year Later

by Terrence O'Brien on September 3, 2009 at 04:28 PM

Google Chrome, One Year Later
A year ago this week -- on September 1st of 2008, to be exact -- Google set the world (or, at least the geek world) abuzz by unveiling its browser project known as Chrome. When the browser first hit the market, there were plenty of questions at the front of everyone's mind, such as, "How will this affect the Firefox and Google relationship?" or, "Will Chrome become tightly integrated with other Google services?"

It's now a year later and all the mysteries have not been solved. But we do have answers to some of the more pressing questions. For one, it seems that, while Google and Mozilla's relationship has become slightly strained since the Big G entered the browser business, they haven't become enemies. Mozilla still generates most of its revenue through its deal with Google to make it the default search provider in Firefox, and Google still offers Firefox as an option in its Google Pack of software (though its default is now Chrome). Google has also so far steered clear of overtly incorporating other Google services into Chrome, thus saving itself from accusations of anti-competitive practices. Of course, that hasn't stopped the company from prominently advertising its browser on the Google homepage when you visit it in IE or Firefox.



Thus far, Google has also prevented Chrome from becoming a casualty of its poor follow-through, as have Notebook and Talk. Chrome has seen three major releases in its first year. (By comparison, it took longer for both Microsoft and Mozilla to push one major release out the door.) But with Chrome OS on the horizon, some of Google's attention may be diverted from Chrome and to its push into the Netbook sphere.

There are, however, major gaps still waiting to be filled. A year later, Linux and Mac users are still playing with a beta version of the browser. Another obvious home for Chrome would be Google's mobile platform Android, but little is known about such a move.

Chrome is still young, and slowly building a user base, so we'll just have to wait to see how this one pans out. But one thing is for certain; the browser world is a better place thanks to increased competition from Google. Hit up the read link for answers to a few more questions that Technologizer posed at the time of Chrome's birth. [From: Technologizer]

Tags: browser, chrome, top, web browser, WebBrowser

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