Do You Really Need Another Web Browser?

Last week Google announced the release of Chrome, their new (and first) web browser.  Which begs the question …. do we need REALLY need another web browser?  Between Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Netscape, and countless other web browsers that are available – is there really a place for Chrome?

Let’s look at the Chrome’s features :

  • type key words right in the browser
  • add short cuts to websites directly to desktop
  • dynamic tabs you can move, and even place browser windows within other windows
  • task manager – use this to control browser crashes
  • incognito mode – Chrome doesn’t store browser info in this mode
  • safe browsing

All of these features can be found, in some form, within other browsers – except for crash controlling which isolates each web application from the others.  If one page crashes, the entire application will not crash.  Truly a great idea.

The problem that Google faces with Chrome is that the key features of why you should use Chrome – speed, open source platform, etc. – are nearly transparent to the end user.  The open source nature of Chrome offers the opportunity for a third party to develop a Chrome plug in that makes it a “killer app”, but for right now – unfortunately – chrome appears from the “average joe” user perspective to be just another web browser.

Add to this the fact that Chrome is only available for Windows operating systems (an interesting move from Google, which has been passively anti-Microsoft for several years now), and the high cost of user acquisition (affiliates were getting paid as much as $1 for each installation of Firefox at one time), and you can quickly see the challenges that Google faces in getting user adoption of Chrome.

Fortunately, until either Google or a third party develops a distinct value proposition for Chrome, Google has the money to force feed Chrome to the masses.