This month has seen the introduction of Google's new web browser, Google Chrome. The new web browser has various unique features that differentiate itself from the popular Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox that already run. The launch is being seen as the biggest news since Firefox started to slowly dent the popularity of Internet Explorer. As well as challenging Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer, it has been suggested that Windows is the target of the new Google Chrome, and that it will eventually make the Windows layer abundant and the browser will be the preferred system.

Google describes their new browser as "… is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer and easier…Google Chrome is clean and fast. It gets out of your way and gets you where you want to go…"

It’s been designed to cater to the everyday internet user, who searches on the web, uploads pictures, plays games etc. The new browser claims to improve the speed of web pages through a new JavaScript engine, and also improves the way memory is used on web pages to prevent there being hold-ups and browser crashes, by using multiple processes. The new browser will feature tabs for allowing various pages to run at the same time, but instead of having the tabs being located under the address bar, as in the current layout, the tabs will be on top of the address bar. Google Chrome will also feature a default home page that consists of your most regularly visited websites, and information which can be customised yourself.

Google Chrome runs automatically updated malware and phishing lists to increase browser security, and prevent fraudulent use of the internet. However, it runs ‘incognito’ therefore allowing you to browse the web without your history being recorded. This function is not without its critics with many likening it to ‘porn mode’.

So how does the launch of this new browser affect the domain name industry? Some reports suggest that Google Chrome will harm the Domain Industry, the inclusion of one search and address box for everything may curtail generic type in traffic. For example if you type in football.com, you may be presented with other football websites.

What is certain is that the long term effects and success of the browser can’t be easily predicted. On the first day of its launch Google were reporting 1% of browser traffic, many reports suggest that this is most likely due to people trying out the browser rather than switching from their current. With the added competition of the ever evolving Firefox (a newer version containing most of the unique features Google Chrome boasts is reported to be due out very soon), only time will tell if this new browser will make any major impact in the industry.