Posted in: iOS, Mobile Services, Mobile software

Google allows iOS developers to use Chrome instead of Safari to open links from their apps

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After the launch of Google Now for iOS (check out our full review), Google’s charge on Apple’s mobile platform continues with the little, but important piece of code that allows developers to open links from their apps in Chrome instead of Safari.

The new feature is dubbed iOS links and iOS developers can utilize it to open links in Chrome; something that Google has been doing with its YouTube, Maps and Gmail apps for quite a while now.

In fact, Google is now in a place on iOS where its iOS app ecosystem is very well tied together. YouTube, map and URL links are opened in their respective Google apps (YouTube, Google Maps and Google Chrome) and not Apple’s default ones. That is, if the aforementioned are installed in the first place.

Additionally, if developers use the new piece of code, once the URL is loaded in Chrome, the back button is automatically replaced with the name of their app. This way, users can go back in the app with a single tap.

The search giant is literally breathing in Apple’s neck and is relentlessly pushing for its apps to be preferred to the default iOS ones. It’ll be interesting to see what Apple’s response to Google’s invasion would be come WWDC.

Source | Via

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