Google Chrome Google Chrome Google Chrome (commonly known simply as Chrome) is a freeware web browser developed by Google LLC. It was first released on September 2, 2008 for Microsoft Windows, and was later ported to Linux, macOS, iOS and Android. Google Chrome is also the main component of Chrome OS, where it serves as a platform for running web apps. Google releases the majority of Chrome's source code as the Chromium open-source project; however, Chrome itself is proprietary software. One component that is not open-source is the built-in Adobe Flash Player (that Chrome has disabled by default since September 2016). Chrome
History of the web browser 1996, Bernd Richter ceased development, stating "let Microsoft with the ActiveX Development Kit do the rest." Microsoft, which had thus far not marketed a browser, finally entered the fray with its Internet Explorer product (version 1.0 was released 16 August 1995), purchased from Spyglass, Inc. This began what is known as the "browser wars" in which Microsoft and Netscape competed for the Web browser market. Early web users were free to choose among the handful of web browsers available, just as they would choose any other application—web standards would ensure their experience remained largely the same. The browser wars put