14 DAY TRIAL // Google Chrome was already able to run in the Modern UI of Windows 8 thanks to a rather basic built-in option, but the Mountain View-company has worked really hard to improve this particular feature of its browser.
A developer version of Chrome that was released recently provides a completely new experience to Windows 8 users, bringing an experimental version of the Chrome OS running in the Windows 8 Metro environment.
As The Verge notes, the app now relies on similar UI and functionality as Chrome OS, boasting much more than a simple interface that allows users to browse the Internet.
From now on, consumers would have the power to organize Chrome, Gmail, Google, Docs, and YouTube icons in the main screen, while multiple browser windows can be easily set up and loaded side by side.
The new dev version of Chrome also brings an app launcher on Windows 8, which is actually the first indication that Google is working on a little bit more than a simple browser.
Unfortunately for adopters of Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system, this pre-release build of Chrome is only working on x86 and x64 editions of Windows, so no Windows RT support is offered for the time being. There’s no information regarding a potential version of Chrome specifically designed for Microsoft’s tablet-oriented platform.
While the search giant’s strategy pretty much makes sense, as it wants to develop its own platform based on Windows 8, Microsoft needs to up the ante and release more improvements for its browser.
Internet Explorer will no longer be the exclusive browser option for Windows 8 users, as Mozilla, the company behind the top-notch Firefox app, is also developing its own version capable of running in the Modern environment.
The new release is expected in January 2014, but an early build is also available for those who wish to take the program for a spin before the stable version hits the market.
Update: check out some screenshots with Chrome OS running in Windows 8.1's Modern UI.