Google is adding official Chrome support for users running Arm and Linux and it's about time
If you've recently made the switch to Linux with your Arm64-based processor, but miss Chrome, I've got some good news for you. At some point in the next few months (Q2 according to Google), you will finally be getting official Google Chrome support.
As pointed out by Google, this follows Chrome support for Arm-based macOS devices in 2020 and Arm-based Windows devices in 2024. Many Apple devices are Arm-based (though they will naturally use macOS), and Snapdragon chips are Arm-based, too. Most Snapdragon laptops do come with Windows 11 built-in though, so it requires a little work to swap over.
Google says, "This move addresses the growing demand for a browsing experience that combines the benefits of the open-source Chromium project with the Google ecosystem of apps and features."
The mention of the Google ecosystem is a good one here, as it could possibly ease the gap of swapping from Windows to Linux. Given that your Google account keeps your bookmarks and password data, you just have to remember how to get into your account to get access to all of your Google data.
For the likes of Google, it will want to make the swap from one OS to another as seamless as possible, as it will just lose out on any users swapping to unsupported devices. Google argues, "Launching Chrome for ARM64 Linux devices allows more users to enjoy the seamless integration of Google’s most helpful services into their browser."
Many of us here at PC Gamer have made the swap to Linux, too, and Snapdragon chips are getting mighty impressive. Just under two weeks ago, Snapdragon's X2 CPU popped up in Geekbench, and it's a bit of a beast. Notably, Nvidia is working on a chip comparable to Intel and AMD's offerings, which is also Arm-based, so we could see even more Arm machines in the future.
Making it easier to switch over to Linux feels like a smart move for anyone other than Windows right now. Given dissatisfaction with Microsoft as a company, and the potential of even more AI in Windows, neither the company nor the product have the best reputation right now.
Google finishes its announcement, stating, "This launch marks a major milestone in our commitment to the Linux community and the Arm ecosystem." It continues, "We look forward to seeing how developers and power-users leverage Chrome on this next generation of high-performance devices."
Naturally, you don't even need to wait for Google to launch its Linux ARM-compatible browser. Maybe swapping to Linux is a good time to swap to Brave, Zen, or Firefox too.