Opinion: Google Chrome Long Overdue
Google is a company known for many things. It’s de facto standard for web search, Gmail, Google Maps/Earth, Android (sorry iPhone fans, it is pretty good!), YouTube, and much more. While Microsoft may be the heavyweight in the desktop world, Google is without a doubt THE heavyweight on the web. So it only seems natural that they would develop their own web browser right?
Google Chrome is a “fresh take on the web browser” according to Google. I would love to tell you about all of the innovative features in Chrome, or the awe-inspiring speed, or just how it’s a solid competitor to Firefox and Safari. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you any of these things as Google has yet to release Chrome for Mac. It has been close to 10 months since since Google released Chrome beta for Windows. Only a 3 months after releasing the beta for Windows, Google took the browser out of beta (Note: GMail has been in beta since its invitation-only release in 2004).
You must be asking yourself: where is Chrome for Mac? There must be a good answer right? Unfortunately, not really. Building a good browser is no trivial task. These days people expect a multitude of features to come standard, tight security, and quick browsing. If Google was truly building from scratch, I would give them more slack, but it seems that Chrome isn’t as fresh a take on the browser as Google claims.
Chrome relies heavily on a modified version of WebKit (Safari’s layout engine that Apple developed from pieces of the Konqueror browser). Google Chrome also draws pieces from Firefox, and 27 code libraries. Google is even drawing as far back as Netscape for code for their fresh, innovative browser.
Does it really take close to 10 months for the most powerful company on the web to use it’s nearly unlimited resources to port Chrome to the Mac? I realize that Google’s Mac department has never been it’s speediest division, but the fact that third-parties were coming out with rough ports of Chrome before Google is just embarrassing. Google did finally release a beta of Chrome recently, but this is not ready to be out in the wild. While most beta’s are usable with occasional bugs, this developer beta lacks major features (including the bulk of the security features… web browsers beware).
It can load a web page, but that’s about it.
Is it unreasonable to expect Google to have a Mac version out at the same time as their windows version? Mozilla seems to be able to do it, and their a non-profit (though to be fair, Mozilla does bring thousands of volunteers into the process to work with their staff). Even still, Google is a gigantic company, with some of the deepest pockets around, nearly 20,000 employees, and thousands of developers who help invent the web as we know it. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect a release by now, especially when it’s not nearly as “fresh” as they claim.
The beta currently lacks flash support, making it unusable for many sites including Google’s own YouTube.
In an interview with CNET News, Chrome Project Manager Brian Rakowski said that the company wanted to release the Mac version before the first half of 2009 is up. Well Google, it’s nearly up, so time for you guys to pony up.
I was getting also upset by waiting for the mac version. Google should show more love for Mac people.
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The released version is actually a alpha. A “google beta” is almost a finished product, by their terms.
About time someone said it.
macapper writes:
“While most beta’s are usable…”
Should be “While most betas are usable…”
Apostrophes should never, ever be used to form a plural.
The main market comes first: Windows.
Google needs to battle IE. Not Safari.
We already have Safari and several other browsers, among them Firefox, Camino, Omniweb.
There really isn’t a sense of urgency from Mac users, and really, nor should there be.
@CS
I totally agree.
@Mark: Typo noted. I apologize.
@CS and Lucky: I agree there are many great browsers for the Mac, and that there’s not urgent need for Chrome, but I’ve grown tired of Google treating the Mac as an after thought. iPhoto is an incredible program, but competition is good for the industry. I like having the option to work in Picasa or iPhoto and I usually end up using them for different tasks. I believe the same applies with browsers. All of them are going to bring you to the same internet, and display it in a relatively similar way, but the features differ. If I need speed I use Safari, but when I need extendability I use Firefox, etc.
Chrome will likely be an excellent addition to the Mac user’s internet belt, but it has been 10 months, I think it’s fair to start taking a few jabs at Google
Another typo: “Mozilla seems to be able to do it, and their a non-profit” it should read “they’re” I know it’s a typo but where’s the proofreading here? That’s a basic one! Interesting article, anyway.
“but I’ve grown tired of Google treating the Mac as an after thought. ”
Well, Chrome for Mac was an afterthought. They shipped the initial version of Chrome for Windows before the even started work on Chrome for Mac. They didn’t hire their first Chrome Mac engineer until they were already shipping a Windows version.
Face it, Google doesn’t really give a shit about Mac. The work they’re doing now, the two or three people they have working on Mac Chrome, is mostly just to try to get people like us to shut the fuck up and stop damaging their good press.
Mac is an afterthought and always will be. Google doesn’t care about Mac people!
In my opinion, people will appreciate google if they develop what people are desperate to have for eg. google talk for mac. I would never think of any other browser other than safari while i use mac os x. I even like the performance of safari on windows. Hope someone from google is listening.
I hate when Mac users are treated like 2nd-class citizens
Nicely, said! Where did you get the last 2 screenshots from if there is now Chrome for Mac?
@wrem – the 2 screenshots of Chrome for the Mac are from the developers beta that can be found here:
http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/eula_dev.html?dl=mac
but be warned: it’s quite buggy, and lacking major security features, bookmarks, plugin support (no flash), etc.
“Google doesn’t care about Mac people”
Kanye West
Meh, I’ll just stick with Firefox 3.5, Safari 4 and occasionally Camino. Google obviously doesn’t want to offer Chrome on Mac or it would have been done long ago. Perhaps they are waiting to simultaneously release an updated version?
We already have Chrome on the Mac. It’s called Stainless. They might as well not even bother releasing Chrome now.
@Matt: “Google obviously doesn’t want to offer Chrome on Mac” . . yeah that makes sense.. /sarcasm