Chrome for Android Finally in the Works

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According to Issue 8008026 posted to the Chromium Code website, Google may finally be bringing together two of its biggest recent projects with the introduction of the Chrome browser for Android. It wouldn’t mark the first time the two platforms have shared screen time (that honor goes to Google TV), but this is the first indication that we could see a version of the popular web browser custom built for Android handsets. It goes without saying that Chrome would amount to a huge step forward from the minimalistic browser currently bundled with the Android OS.

So when will we get our first look at Chrome for Android? The answer isn’t so clear. We know that the browser found in Ice Cream Sandwich is seriously overhauled, but have nothing to say that it could in fact run under the Chrome banner. At best we may only have to wait a matter of weeks, at worst we could be looking at something much farther down the road.

[via Android and Me]

Kevin Krause
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33 Comments

  1. It would be awesome to have Chrome on Android!!!

  2. Please do Google. Full-blown Chrome on Android tablets would increase their appeal significantly.

    1. Yes it would allot!

  3. This will probably be something implemented with the ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’ build for Android, part of closing gaps between Android versions.

    1. “If you were expecting some big changes for Ice Cream Sandwich, you may be disappointed. Apparently, some of the more “game-changing stuff” Google was supposed to unveil for Ice Cream Sandwich has actually been pushed back to Jelly Bean […]”

      https://phandroid.com/2011/09/09/next-version-of-android-to-be-named-jelly-bean/

    2. If you look here: “https://phandroid.com/2011/09/29/verizons-nexus-prime-to-come-devoid-of-any-bloatware/” at the list of pre-installed apk’s on the GalaxyNexusDroidPrime you’ll notice it has BrowserGoogle.apk. I may have missed something, but on my Droid2 the system app is just browser.apk… Worth noting or is that just how they’re labeling the package on newer phones?

  4. Would be amazing. I was disappointed when i bought my phone and it wasn’t available ;)

    I can’t stand firefox.

    1. Try dolphin.

      1. Dolphin is my current browser of choice on Android too. I am still happy to see Chrome finally coming our way.

  5. either way, i’m excited

  6. sooo…this means the chromium OS will be…useless?

    1. No, they’re two completely different platforms for two completely different use cases.

  7. If this means we’ll get an “official” browser that gets constantly updated, I’m all for it.

    But, please, Google, don’t remove keyboard shortcuts like you did in your newer apps.

  8. I always thought that since Google TV used Chrome, and ICS is meant to merge all versions of android, that ICS would bring Chrome to all android devices.

    I really hope the Nexus Prime comes pre-installed with Chrome

    1. “If you were expecting some big changes for Ice Cream Sandwich, you may be disappointed. Apparently, some of the more “game-changing stuff” Google was supposed to unveil for Ice Cream Sandwich has actually been pushed back to Jelly Bean […]”

      https://phandroid.com/2011/09/09/next-version-of-android-to-be-named-jelly-bean/

      1. From that same article: “Oh — and if you were bummed out about Ice Cream Sandwich’s “game-changing stuff” being pushed back to Jelly Bean, the source went on to say that there will still be some fairly major architectural, functional, and design changes in store for ICS.”

        And I did read that article, I just assumed the UI overhaul was postponed in favour of getting it to work properly on different devices (tablet, phone, google tv, etc) Chrome browser was one of the things I assumed they’d still implement if they truely wnated to unify the OS, since Google tv needs to run ICS too and it would be a shame if the Google TV update to ICS actually excluded it from using hte Chrome browser

        1. What I read is that the UI overhaul (functional and design changes) is not postponed, but the OS versions merging (THE game-changing stuff) could be.
          I don’t see why an update to ICS would exclude Googgle TV to use Chrome. It uses it on an earlier version of Android, while other devices don’t, it would just be the same.

      2. Why do you keep posting that? It says “some” – do you have any reason to think that specifically includes the browser?

        1. First I don’t “keep posting” it, I just did it twice, including one by mistake.
          I was just replying to “ICS is meant to merge all versions of Android”, and based on what I understood of the linked article, it’s not sure at all.
          Well, maybe was it a little off topic…

          In fact the browser in ICS has been described as “completely revamped” (https://phandroid.com/2011/09/16/anonymous-4chan-user-posts-hands-on-time-with-the-samsung-nexus-prime/ ), so no, I don’t think that the changing stuff pushed back to “Jelly Been” includes the browser.

  9. I cannot wait for this addition to the Android toolbox. Having the features of Chrome on the go will be huge.

  10. There’s been hints at a Chromium build for Android for several weeks. Way to early to assume this is coming to phones, can’t imagine this being on ICS/Nexus Prime next week, which is surely already finished.

    1. Next week? Do you know something about the Nexus Prime release that we don’t?

      1. I think Mark is correct – announcement next week….

      2. Samsung and Google have an event planned for the 11th. Hasn’t been confirmed that it’s the Prime announcement, but seem very likely.

  11. The browser needs a facelife for sure. And usability-wise it’s a long ways off from Safari on an iPad (even if they’re both functionally limited in many of the same ways).

    Brandon

  12. I would seriously love it if they brought it to our Android devices. I love using it on my laptop!

  13. Chrome on my phone, AWESOME! cant wait.

  14. Nevermibd Android right now. perfeftly happy with my hardware accelerated Galaxy S II’s stock browser thank you.

    Bring the damn thing to Win7 —–64BIT!!!!!!

    1. Chrome on windows 7?

  15. So would Chrome become the new native browser or would you get the current native browser and then download a Chrome app?

  16. Hopefully it will integrate Phone to PC bookmark syncing and the like. Integrating Phone2Chrome and Chrome2Phone apps would be a plus!

  17. That would be superb, darn cant wait for nexr week ahihihi

  18. October 11 ……

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