We've watched the rapid evolution of Google's beta Chrome browser since it first appeared. Chrome, apparently, will not remain in an indefinite period of beta testing for the rest of its life. Speaking to The Times, Sundar Pichai, Google vice president, stated that the browser will exit beta in January. Google, meanwhile, is exploring its distribution options and examining the various ways it might improve its market share. "We will probably do distribution deals,” Pinchai told The Times. "We could work with an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) and have them ship computers with Chrome preinstalled."
Doing so could significantly change the browser market's competitive landscape. As of the end of October, Microsoft commands some 71 percent of the market, with Firefox hovering near 20 percent, according to NetApplications. Two-thirds of that last nine percent is held by Safari, with a ragtag collection of other clients collectively holding on to about three percent of the total number of web users. Shipping Chrome as the default browser on a system wouldn't have an immediate impact on browser standings, but in the longer term, Google's share of the market would almost certainly rise. Google is also working on Macintosh and Linux versions of its shiny toy.
Read more: arstechnica.com
