Google Chrome is one of the most popular browsers, and recently, Microsoft has put effort into making their browser more pleasing to users. However, there is one browser everyone likes: Arc Browser by The Browser Company. Until now, this browser was in beta, and users needed to join a waitlist to get it.
Arc Browser has officially announced that it is generally available for everyone. As of now, it is available on Mac and iOS. They have been in the browser industry for over two years, and The Browser Company released their first public release, Arc 1.0. The browser has some great features that are not available in other browsers.
Download Arc v1.0 Browser
If you want to download the Arc Browser, head to Arc.net and download it. There isn’t anything new if you have already been using Arc; it’s a stable version of the Arc Browser.
The browser is available to download for MacOS and iOS devices via the Apple Play Store as a companion app for mobile devices. Currently, there is no Windows version, but the Arc Browser is expected to be launched on Windows by the end of this year.
You don’t have to worry about switching browsers; it supports transferring your saved bookmarks, logins, and extensions. This browser is different from traditional browsers, so there is a steep learning curve. If you love customization and shortcuts and feel great using keyboard shortcuts, you will love the Arc Browser. And since it is based on Chromium, it brings flexibility with features like Apple’s iCloud Password Manager and Chrome Extension.
You can personalize the look and feel of the browser with its built-in customization tools. Also, suppose you are used to other browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Browser with features like Photo Editor in the browser, Visual Search, Security, Online-Saved Workspace, Better Web Compatibility, PDF Viewers, and more. In that case, the Arc Browser is catching up with other browsers while introducing new features. Common tasks and a familiar interface are the primary focus of the Arc Browser.
As the browser is a modern app, developers have put everything on the sidebar to make it feel more native to the OS.
Arc Browser: Building a New Browsing Experience
The Browser Company was founded in 2019 by Branch Co-Founder Josh Miller and former Facebook employee Hursh Agrawal. In 2021, the company raised $5 million from high-profile investors, including LinkedIn’s Jeff Weiner, Medium’s Ev Williams, and Figma’s Dylan Field.
Browsers are necessary tools for surfing the internet and viewing websites. The Browser Company has built several built-in tools to help users seamlessly use the browser. Browsers have mostly stayed the same for a long time, but Arc Browser aims to change that by making them more collaborative with a flexible interface and powerful functionality.
This browser is built on top of the Chromium engine, which means it supports the majority of websites and extensions. However, this browser only consumes a few resources compared to Google Chrome. Similar to Microsoft Edge, it uses fewer resources while maintaining performance.
Tools like note-taking, visual and collaborative easels with others, redesigning webpages, and more are available. The company has also released picture-in-picture mode, which works with Google Meet calls. Additionally, Arc has implemented privacy features such as not tracking the websites you visit, recording search terms, or selling your data to third parties like Chrome and Edge do.
One of the most interesting features is that you can create different workspaces, similar to Opera’s Sidebar Workspace and Edge Workspace. However, workspaces are only stored locally, unlike Edge Browser, which is stored online, so you can continue where you left off on another device. Speaking of workspaces, each has a PIN and can use a different account in a different workspace. Recently, Arc has also introduced the Zap feature, which allows you to change the code of the browser and the user interface of the web page in the browser.
Another useful feature is that it has vertical tabs by default, and the titles are live. You can also preview the tabs by hovering over them. While Arc has some major design changes compared to traditional browsers, there is also a feature called Boost that allows users to change the theme and layout of the website per app. Additionally, Arc Browser also improves multi-window support and speed.
The company is also working on use-case scenarios for how they can integrate AI into their web browser. Many browsers with similar features are available on the market but have yet to be unified, including Microsoft Edge, Opera, and Sigma OS. Some features are also missing from Arc Browser, such as the Online-Saved Workspace, artificial general intelligence, and more. The browser company also commits to bringing new features and updates with future releases.