Google Chrome’s iOS update adds new features to rival Safari

Google’s new Chrome update for iOS introduces four significant features designed to enhance user experience and compete aggressively against Apple’s Safari. With these enhancements, users can expect smoother browsing, more efficient storage management, and improved online shopping options.

The recent update, announced on November 12, 2024, offers several new tools aimed at optimizing Chrome use on iPhones and iPads. Chrome users can now search using both images and text simultaneously, effectively refining their search capabilities. This feature, powered by Google Lens, allows users to ask questions about what they see around them or to clarify visual searches by adding descriptive attributes. By tapping the camera icon in the Google Search bar, users can explore more targeted and relevant results, even receiving an AI Overview summarizing pertinent web information based on their queries.

Another significant addition is the ability to save files and pictures directly to Google Drive and Google Photos, which addresses a common annoyance for iPhone users: storage alerts. With the new “Saved from Chrome” folder in Google Drive, users can now bypass the constant “Storage Almost Full” warnings by easily moving files from the browser to the cloud, thus freeing up valuable device space. To store an image in Google Photos, users simply need to long-press the picture and select the appropriate option from the context menu.

Shopping Insights offers further convenience, particularly for users in the U.S. This feature alerts users to favorable pricing on products they are browsing, providing notifications like “Good Deal Now” right in the address bar. When users click on this notification, they can access insights such as price history and purchasing options, helping consumers make informed decisions. While this feature is currently U.S.-exclusive, Google plans to expand it into other regions soon.

Video: Google

Lastly, Chrome has streamlined navigation with a new mini-map feature. When browsing a site that lists an address, users can view a mini-map without switching to Google Maps. By simply tapping on the underlined address, a mini-map will appear within the Chrome browser, further enhancing the browsing experience without the need to juggle multiple applications.

These updates come at a pivotal time, as Apple has recently warned iPhone users about potential vulnerabilities in using Chrome, pushing for more Safari adoption. Google, however, counters this by enhancing its Chrome browser’s capabilities and actively seeking to recruit new users. Reports suggest Google aims to reroute approximately 300 million iPhone users from Safari to Chrome.

As the competition heats up, it’s clear that Chrome’s recent updates are not merely cosmetic; they are strategic moves in a larger battle for mobile browser supremacy. Both companies are aware that the stakes are high: Safari and Chrome together command a staggering 91% of the global mobile browser market, according to Statscounter. It remains to be seen how users will react to these changes and whether Chrome’s efforts will bear fruit in winning over Apple’s dedicated user base.

This updated Chrome experience aims not only to improve individual performance but also to challenge Apple’s stronghold on mobile browsing. In a marketplace where user trust and preference reign supreme, Google’s innovations and the timing of these features seem designed to keep the competition lively, if not heated. As Google positions itself as an alternative for iPhone users, the next few months will reveal if these features can sway a significant number of Safari users into Chrome’s fold.