No Chrome or Firefox for upcoming Windows RT

Image from pricerunner.co.uk

Read the original article on GigaOM. I also heard about this buzz on Tech News Today's episode 499 on TWiT.tv.

Windows 8, as you might know now, will debut the Metro user interface on non-smartphone computing devices. Windows RT though, formerly known as Windows 8 for ARM-based touch tablets (whereas the normal desktop-capable Windows 8 is intended for both Intel-based traditional PCs or tablets), is not going to be running desktop apps. But even so, it is also said to be limiting 3rd party web browsers such as Chrome and Firefox from running on it, whereas it will only run Microsoft's own Internet Explorer and generally allow only limited functionality to 3rd party browsers. For Windows 8 (Intel-based), this is not an issue. The question is, what are Microsoft's reasons? Are they evil?


The issue is, core Microsoft Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote), which are still desktop-centric, will still run on Windows RT. No other desktop-centric apps can. So, desktop versions of IE, Chrome or Firefox cannot run on Windows RT. Only the Metro version of IE will run on Windows RT. Metro versions of Chrome or Firefox, if there should be such that exists (most probably no), will probably be not the same Chrome or Firefox browsers that we have come to know. Internet Explorer will become the number one browser on Windows RT devices. Is that really an issue?

Some people are thinking, it's Microsoft's monopolistic ways again, just as they have pushed Internet Explorer as the default browser and as practically uninstallable in earlier Windows versions and have been punished for it in one way or another. The difference though, as others have pointed out, is that it's not the same thing. For PCs, Windows is the number one, and thus when you push IE as the default, you are artificially creating a one-sided market. For these "post-PC" tablet devices, however, Windows is far from number one (heck they haven't even really started yet) and will probably never be.

You know, in the same way, Google Search is number one and then now Google is pushing its Google+ social network into search results, artificially. But in the same way, Apple's iOS is in the same situation with their own Safari browser and with 3rd party browsers having limited functionality, although of course, Google might not exactly be that interested in having a Chrome for iOS because they also have their Android (oh, and they have everything nowadays, including your personal information).

Another thing to consider though is that Chrome, Firefox, or even Safari are standards-based browsers whereas IE is generally not. If IE on Windows RT gets sufficient market share such that most websites will need to be more compatible with IE than the other 3 major browsers, that is trouble.

I do think though it's a make or break for Windows RT. They're betting on their own horse. If it wins, hurray for them. If it loses, well hurray for all of us. Of course, consider that it will only be the first iteration of Microsoft's new OS strategy. But I think that the ball is now in the hands of Microsoft's marketing guys. They are way too late to the game, but, let's see how well they'll do. Currently, I am far from salivating on a Windows RT-dominated future of tablets.