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Google Chrome now works on iOS

techcrunch.com

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Re: Google Chrome now works on iOS

#21

Post by cooldeal »

Zirro wrote: post #19
cooldeal wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And while Mozilla made really loud noises with threats of complaints and legal action about Windows RT and Microsoft, they completely ignored Apple and made Firefox Sync which just syncs bookmarks etc.

"they completely ignored Apple and made Firefox Sync which just syncs bookmarks etc." There was plenty of sounds from them at the time when they wanted to release a Firefox for iOS, but that was a few years ago by now and it didn't get picked up in the media like the Windows-complaints.

>There was plenty of sounds from them at the time when they wanted to release a Firefox for iOS

Really? Care to link to some of them?

Re: Google Chrome now works on iOS

#23

Post by recoiledsnake »

TazeTSchnitzel wrote: post #20
cooldeal wrote: post #15

The headline should read Google Chrome Skin now works on iOS. For all intents and purposes, the heart of the browser, i.e the rendering and scripting engines are not running on the iPad or iPhone. Would it be accurate to state that IE now works on the iPad if Microsoft ported the IE browser chrome(UI) to the iPad?

Eh, it's WebKit. Not quite the same WebKit, but close enough. It's not like they are using completely different rendering engines.

There is no WebGL and other HTML5 features that Chrome has. Also, not only there is no V8 JS Engine support, but I suspect that Apple's NitroJS engine won't work in Chrome because it probably uses UIWebView to render sites.

Re: Google Chrome now works on iOS

#24

Post by United857 »

ComputerGuru wrote: post #22
pcwalton wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't see how it can, as it's just a UIWebView.

UIWebViews can be configured to run WebGL, though this is not officially supported/sanctioned by Apple.

This requires calling a private API which means any app doing that will be rejected by the App Store.

Re: Google Chrome now works on iOS

#26

Post by anextio »

kyrra wrote: post #13
speg wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While Chrome for iOS will include a number of key features, including incognito mode and tab syncing across devices, the browser will still use Apple's WebKit-based engine required by the App Store developer guidelines. It also will lack the Nitro JavaScript engine that Apple uses to speed Safari's performance.

Which is why I still like Android as a mobile platform. Google gives users a choice, Apple makes you live within their walled garden.

V8 requires just-in-time compilation, which is not allowed on iOS for security-related reasons.

Re: Google Chrome now works on iOS

#28

Post by estel »

ricefield wrote: post #17
speg wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While Chrome for iOS will include a number of key features, including incognito mode and tab syncing across devices, the browser will still use Apple's WebKit-based engine required by the App Store developer guidelines. It also will lack the Nitro JavaScript engine that Apple uses to speed Safari's performance.

So, no V8 or Nitro, but Chrome/Chromium uses Webkit, so renders should be the same (just slower) right?

Well, Mobile Safari's webkit version will usually be somewhat behind the latest six-weekly Chrome release cycle.

Re: Google Chrome now works on iOS

#29

Post by bgarbiak »

nextstep wrote: post #10

But, Chrome on iOS will still be a "second class citizen" the way Opera mini and the other browsers on the AppStore. If you want to open a link in Chrome, you will need to copy/paste the URL, no "Open in Chrome" functionality like Safari has. For better or for worse, Apple has not opened up system-wide integration of third party apps, and I don't seem them allowing you to change your default browser anytime soon.

That shouldn't be that much of a problem as most of the pages on iOS are displayed in an in-app web views (in apps like: Twitter, Facebook, etc.). Ok, "bookmark-icons" will open in Safari - doubt it's a very popular feature though.

Re: Google Chrome now works on iOS

#30

Post by TazeTSchnitzel »

recoiledsnake wrote: post #23
TazeTSchnitzel wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eh, it's WebKit. Not quite the same WebKit, but close enough. It's not like they are using completely different rendering engines.

There is no WebGL and other HTML5 features that Chrome has. Also, not only there is no V8 JS Engine support, but I suspect that Apple's NitroJS engine won't work in Chrome because it probably uses UIWebView to render sites.

Yeah, no WebGL's a bummer. But at least it is close to the same engine.
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