Google Showcases Metro UI Chrome

There are still several months until Windows 8 is released, but developers are not wasting any time, the big ones anyway, and are doing their best to adapt to the new Metro UI.

Mozilla is already working on a Metro version of Firefox and now Google has announced that it has a version of Chrome for the new Windows environment in the works as well.

It's just about ready for public testing, but it's not available in the dev channel just yet. So far, Google is just showing a small screenshot of the Metro UI version of Chrome, but says that by the time Windows 8 lands integration will be tight.

"If you’re running the Release Preview of Windows 8, you’ll be able to try Chrome in Metro mode in the next Chrome Dev channel release by setting it as your default browser," Google announced.

"The initial releases of Chrome in Metro mode will include integration with the basic Windows 8 system functionality, such as charms and snap view. Over the next few months, we’ll be smoothing out the UI on Metro and improving touch support, so please feel free to file bugs," it explained.

Google didn't pass the change to take a subtle (well, more subtle than Mozilla's) dig Microsoft over the fact that it's only allowing IE10 on Windows RT tablets.

Windows RT will run on ARM powered devices and third-party apps will only have access to the limited Metro API making it impossible for stand-alone browsers to work.

Mozilla complained about the fact initially, saying that Microsoft was artificially limiting browser availability on the platform. Which is true, Microsoft has a stronger case since Apple does the very same thing on iOS. Still, the company has gotten in trouble for just this kind of thing in the past.

Via: Google Showcases Metro UI Chrome