Google Chrome Browser, Google Drive Coming to iOS [Now Available]

ChromeGoogle announced today that it is releasing a version of its Google Chrome for the iPhone and iPad. The company says it will go live on the App Store later today. Macquarie analyst Ben Schacter predicted last month that Google Chrome was coming to iOS.

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. But, there is one main obstacle to Chrome on iOS, as noted by The Next Web:

The biggest hurdle that Chrome features, of course, is that it cannot be set to be the default browser on iOS devices, a capability that Apple also reserves for Safari. So, while you can use the browser to your heart’s content, it will not be the default handler for any URLs clicked. That’s a huge hurdle to overcome.


Google Drive -- the DropBox competitor released earlier this year -- also gained an iOS client. [App Store]

Update: Chrome for iOS is now live on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 18 Pro Max Rumored to Deliver Next-Level Battery Life

Friday February 6, 2026 5:14 am PST by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker. Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...

Top Rated Comments

ChazUK Avatar
178 months ago
Keep your Google off my Apple devices


I am not a product

Don't download it?
Not that hard is it?
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cypherpunks01 Avatar
178 months ago
Apple, give us the choice!

Competition leads to better browsers.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TvdW Avatar
178 months ago
iOS Chrome requires iOS 4.3, while Android Chrome requires Android 4.0. Ironically that means that 99% of the iOS users can use Chrome, while only 10% of the Android users can.
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vtstarck Avatar
178 months ago
More iOS users will have Chrome than Android users.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Feed Me Avatar
178 months ago
Cool, a chrome Android skin for UIWebView.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lennholm Avatar
178 months ago
iOS Chrome requires iOS 4.3, while Android Chrome requires Android 4.0. Ironically that means that 99% of the iOS users can use Chrome, while only 10% of the Android users can.

About as ironic as the fact that iPhone 4(S) is supported on a 11 year old Windows OS but not on a 7 year old Mac OS.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)