For years now, Google Chrome has been an absolute dominant pressure on the planet of internet browsers, however because the relaunch of Microsoft Edge based mostly on Google’s Chromium, that place has been challenged. Now, Google is getting ready to drive extra Android homeowners again to utilizing Chrome by means of focused notifications.
Over the admittedly transient historical past of the Web, there have been various fierce competitions, generally referred to as “browser wars,” between corporations, in an effort to get extra folks to make use of their specific internet browser. Mozilla and Netscape waged conflict in opposition to Web Explorer, and Chrome fought and gained in opposition to Firefox. Most lately, Microsoft Edge and Samsung Web have begun to wage conflict in opposition to Chrome on desktop and Android respectively.
Now, we’ve discovered that Google is getting ready to try to win again a few of those that have left Chrome for different browsers, beginning on Android. Based mostly on our studying of a collection of code adjustments [1, 2, 3], we imagine Google Chrome for Android will ship you a notification in case you haven’t used Chrome shortly.
For now the “function” is locked behind a brand new flag coming quickly to chrome://flags.
Allow re-engagement notifications
Allows Chrome to make use of the in-product assist system to determine when to indicate re-engagement notifications.
#reengagement-notification
Up to now, Google has included three potential notifications to be despatched, more than likely to check and see which notification could also be handiest in bringing people again to Chrome.
Learn as we speak’s information 📰
Articles in your pursuits on Chrome
Save as much as 60% information
Use Lite mode on Google Chrome
Google recommends Chrome
Save as much as 60% information, learn as we speak’s information
Digging a bit deeper, we discovered what particularly would set off Chrome to ship considered one of these notifications. When you indirectly open Chrome by opening a “Chrome Custom Tab” in an app, Chrome will take that chance to verify how lengthy it’s been because you’ve used Chrome. Then, when you have more than one browser installed, you’ll obtain a notification suggesting that you simply use Chrome.
As this code is simply simply starting to look in Chrome, we seemingly gained’t see these notifications start to look from Chrome for Android till no less than model 86, which isn’t resulting from launch till October.
9to5Google’s Take
Talking frankly, this is among the extra egregious and aggravating potential “options” I’ve seen Google work in direction of in Chrome. Contemplating Chrome is put in by default as a system app — that means it can’t be uninstalled, solely disabled — on some Android telephones together with Pixels, these notifications may turn out to be much more irritating.
On the core of the difficulty although, Google Chrome, a browser that already has an amazing lead — used on over 60% of all mobile devices together with iPhones — shouldn’t must resort to pestering their customers to come back again. If something, I may see this additional driving folks to uninstall Chrome, no less than on gadgets which might be even allowed to.
Hopefully, Google can come to their senses and drop this “function” earlier than it makes its strategy to most peoples’ telephones in October.
Extra on Google Chrome:
FTC: We use revenue incomes auto affiliate hyperlinks. More.
