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Google's Chrome Web browser is coming out of beta testing, according to a TechCrunch report Wednesday.Marissa Mayer, Google's vice president of user experience, told TechCrunch's Mike Arrington as much in an interview at Le Web 08, according to the report. However, there was no word about when the move might take place.
One possibility would be to announce it Thursday at Add-on-Con, a conference about browser extensions at which Nick Baum, a product manager on Google Chrome, is scheduled to speak on a panel about the future of Web browsers. Also on the panel are Joshua Allen, senior technical evangelist for Microsoft's Internet Explorer, and Mike Shaver, vice president of engineering for Firefox builder Mozilla.
Taking the browser out of beta would doubtless fulfill Google's ambition to let business partners, such as computer makers, bundle Chrome on their systems. Google launched the first beta version in September.
As problematic as Chrome has been in some regards, and given Google's penchant for leaving products in beta forever, I can't imagine them taking Chrome out of beta so soon.
I'm not sure I can see any way for Google to make money by bundling Chrome with Windows, which is all they seem to be talking about now, according to the article. So what's the rush to get out of beta?
So any dent they can take out of the 80% market share IE has is a good insurance for the rest of their business.
Add to it that they can make thier ajax stuff run better in their own javascript engine then in the others, they might start to make their ajax heavy stuff work much nicer in chrome giving a better user experience to the masses.
Just hope they realize not just to make a windows based chrome, but include a few more OSes.
Google's development of Chrome is closely linked to their development of Google Docs (and related plans yet to be announced), so they need to keep two steps ahead of M$.
Taking Chrome out of beta allows for greater industry support - as partners are reassured that Chrome is safe, sound and supported by Google.
The M$ development is discussed here [webmasterworld.com]
So I guess the first question I want to ask is why does Google think this thing has a chance of succeeding without extensions?
If all you've ever used is IE then I guess extensions aren't that big a deal. But if all you've ever used is IE then isn't it likely there are other factors at play keeping you from trying other browsers, including those with extensions?
Will bundling Chrome with Windows make it more likely people will switch browsers?
I don't think we'll see a huge change in the browser market just yet, and (UK at least) IE has a stranglehold on business. But Google will get a foot in the door, and I suspect that's all they seek at this stage.
Point is, while IE users may switch to Chrome (or not!), few Chrome / FF users will switch to IE.
Google tend to take a long term view, which in itself gives them an advantage. I think the Google view is an Internet based world with local use as desired - exactly the opposite of the M$ view, which is still modelled on desktop products (with patents, licenses and money), with some Internet usage.
M$ *have* to protect their patented software, which - for the foreseeable future - will keep them clunky. Google will focus on nimble, convenient, lite modules, with maximum user control, and no fees. Period.
Long term winner: Who Knows? [clue: not M$!]
Jim
