Arc (web browser)

Last updated

Arc
Developer(s) The Browser Company
Initial release25 July 2023;8 months ago (2023-07-25) [1]
Stable release(s)
macOS1.39.0 [2]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg / 18 April 2024;4 days ago (18 April 2024)
iOS1.11.0 [3]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg / 2 February 2024;2 months ago (2 February 2024)
Type Web browser
License Proprietary software
Website arc.net

Arc is a freeware web browser developed by The Browser Company, a startup company founded by Josh Miller and Hursh Agrawal. It was released on 19 April 2022 after having undergone a closed beta test. Arc is available for use on macOS and iOS. A Microsoft Windows version of the browser is in development, and is currently being rolled out to beta testers. As of April 2024, the beta test for Windows has over 169,000 members. [7] An official roadmap and member count is available at https://isarconwindowsyet.com.

Contents

Arc aims to act as an operating system for the web and tries to integrate web browsing with built-in applications and features. These include a scrapbook-style "easel", and "boosts", a feature that lets users cosmetically redesign a website in a similar way to browser extensions. [8] As opposed to many other browsers, Arc uses vertical tabs (which can be found in a sidebar). The sidebar contains all of the browser's functionality besides the browsing window. Arc is based on Chromium [5] [6] and is written in Swift. It supports Chrome browser extensions, and uses Google Search by default.

Arc has received coverage from several technology-focused media outlets, including The Verge , Ars Technica , How-To Geek and Engadget . Critics gave Arc a generally positive reception, citing the potential of new ideas and features the browser presents. However, most coverage added that the browser still needed polishing. [9] [10]

Production and release

Arc was designed by The Browser Company, a startup company from New York City founded by Josh Miller and Hursh Agrawal in 2019. [11] [12] The Browser Company has employees who have previously worked at other technology firms, including Instagram, Tesla, Medium and Google. [13]

The browser was released on 19 April 2022 via an announcement on Twitter. [14] It had previously undergone a beta test, with the roughly 100 testers involved [12] bound to a non-disclosure agreement. [15] Users are only able to use the browser after signing up to an Arc account with an email address. [16]

Design

Arc is designed to be an "operating system for the web", and integrates standard browsing with Arc's own applications through the use of a sidebar. The browser is designed to be customisable and allows users to cosmetically change how they see specific websites. [9] [17]

An example of Robert Irwin's art using scrims, which influenced Arc's design Robert Irwin Scrim Veil Black Rectangle Natural Light Whitney 2013.jpg
An example of Robert Irwin's art using scrims, which influenced Arc's design

Arc lets the user pick the color they want it to appear in (either a static color or a color gradient) during installation. [18] Speaking with Input magazine, Karla Cole (one of Arc's designers) stated that it's because the design team "wanted to play with the feeling you get as a movie opens".

Arc is written in Swift [19] and is based on Google's Chromium codebase which means it supports extensions from the Chrome Web Store.

Features

Arc uses a sidebar to store all parts of the browser—including the search bar, tab list and bookmarks—aside from the viewing window. [16] The sidebar also contains controls for audio playback, which can be accessed while not using the tab playing the audio. This functionality also works with video call software, such as Google Meet. [11]

The search bar present in Arc is similar in functionality and design to Apple's Spotlight feature. It can be used to search for websites and URLs as normal, as well as being able to pin tabs, duplicate tabs and access browser history. [16] Arc includes an optional built-in ad blocker, and The Browser Company claims it does not share user's search data. [20]

Tabs in Arc can be put into "spaces", organised tabs with separate areas that can be given different themes and browser profiles. Tabs in spaces can be put in a split-screen view with up to four tabs per window. [13] Tabs can also be pinned, which puts them in a labelled area in the sidebar. Unpinned tabs disappear after a period of time (which can be changed or disabled in settings) [9] but can be retrieved in Arc's "archived tabs" section. [16] Tabs can also be renamed. [17]

Arc includes several built-in applications, including an "easel" function, which can be used to collect webpage screenshots and URLs. The easel includes tools for typing and drawing. Easels can be kept private, shared with other people for collaboration or posted online. There was previously also a notebook function, which can be accessed from the search bar. [21] [16] Aside from built-in applications, Arc also has integrations with other web applications, like Gmail and Google Calendar. [22]

Arc lets users customise how they see websites using its "boosts" feature. Originally added in July 2022, [23] boosts act similarly to browser extensions, but allow the user to fully customise their experience using CSS, HTML and JavaScript. A 2.0 update to boosts in 2023 added a simplified interface that allows the user to change website colors, change fonts and remove sections using the "zap" control. Boosts can be shared for use by other users as long as they do not use JavaScript, for security reasons. The Browser Company maintains a gallery of boosts they choose to display. [10] [18] Engadget described this feature as allowing users to "vandalize" websites. [10]

Arc's "Air Traffic Control" feature lets users select which space a specific link will be opened at. [24] Users can create what's called a "route" that defines which space the link will be opened when the link is opened from an external source. The "Air Traffic Control" feature can be accessed and modified from the Arc settings > Links > Air Traffic Control.

On February 2024, The Browser Company announced the addition of three AI powered features. The first feature, "Instant Links", which was launched that same day, allowed users to instantly open multiple links by searching for the user's search query with AI, rather than having to go through a search engine to get to the pages. [25] The two other announced features, "Live Folders" and "Arc Explore" were not launched initially, with the former being released in April 2024, while the latter has no specified release date. [26] [27]

The announcement also mentioned Arc Search, a new iOS app released four days prior. The app was originally pitched as a "doorman for the Web," automatically opening a search box. The app featured a "Browse for Me" feature that would use AI to read webpages related to the user's query to create a new webpage containing quotes, summaries, and embedded videos regarding the query. The app also shipped with a built in ad-blocker, which contains "always-on blocking of ads, trackers, GDPR popups, and banners." [28] [29] Since then, additional features have been added to Arc Search, such as "Pinch to Summarize," where Arc Search can summarize webpages. [30]

Platforms

Arc is available for macOS as a universal binary and Microsoft Windows (Closed Limited Beta, [31] built in Swift [19] ). A stripped-down companion app with only the sidebar functionality was released for iOS on 30 March 2023. [32] [33] Arc Search, the experimental Act II mobile browser, replaced that app as the only Arc mobile app on iOS on January 2024. However, the companion app will merge into Arc Search in the future, with Arc Search being renamed to Arc. Currently an Arc account is not required to use Arc Search. [28]

On February 2024, a stripped-down version of Arc Search containing only the "Browse For Me" feature became available on the Arc browser and other desktop browsers.

Reception

Arc has received generally favourable reviews from critics. How-To Geek gave the browser a 7/10, saying that "Arc has some excellent ideas and the confidence to lean into them [... but] feels like it needs a bit more polish to deliver a silky smooth browsing experience". [16] David Pierce of The Verge agreed and said that "Arc isn’t perfect, and it takes some getting used to. But it’s full of big new ideas about how we should interact with the web — and it’s right about most of them". [9] In an article published by Fast Company , Jared Newman called Arc the most polished of "all the attempts to reimagine the web browser". [15] In an episode, David Imel of the Waveform Podcast said it was a "new take on the browser". [34]

Chris Smith of BGR criticized the browser: "Arc is forcing you to create an account before you get to experience the browser at all. Google and Microsoft are dying for you to use their browsers while logged in. But they won’t force you to register an account if you don’t want to." [35]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Safari (web browser)</span> Web browser by Apple

Safari is a web browser developed by Apple. It is built into Apple's operating systems, including macOS, iOS, iPadOS and visionOS, and uses Apple's open-source browser engine WebKit, which was derived from KHTML.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firefox</span> Free and open-source web browser by Mozilla

Mozilla Firefox, or simply Firefox, is a free and open-source web browser developed by the Mozilla Foundation and its subsidiary, the Mozilla Corporation. It uses the Gecko rendering engine to display web pages, which implements current and anticipated web standards. Firefox is available for Windows 10 or later versions, macOS, and Linux. Its unofficial ports are available for various Unix and Unix-like operating systems, including FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, illumos, and Solaris Unix. It is also available for Android and iOS. However, as with all other iOS web browsers, the iOS version uses the WebKit layout engine instead of Gecko due to platform requirements. An optimized version is also available on the Amazon Fire TV as one of the two main browsers available with Amazon's Silk Browser.

This is a comparison of both historical and current web browsers based on developer, engine, platform(s), releases, license, and cost.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Google Desktop</span> Computer program

Google Desktop was a computer program with desktop search capabilities, created by Google for Linux, Apple Mac OS X, and Microsoft Windows systems. It allowed text searches of a user's email messages, computer files, music, photos, chats, Web pages viewed, and the ability to display "Google Gadgets" on the user's desktop in a Sidebar.

Mozilla Firefox has features which distinguish it from other web browsers, such as Google Chrome, Safari, and Microsoft Edge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleipnir (web browser)</span> Web browser developed by Fenrir Inc

Sleipnir is a tabbed web browser developed by Fenrir Inc. The browser's main features are customization and tab functions. It supports HTML5 and multiple layout engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opera (web browser)</span> Freeware web browser

Opera is a multi-platform web browser developed by its namesake company Opera. The current edition of the browser is based on Chromium. Opera is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. There are also mobile versions called Opera Mobile and Opera Mini. Opera users also have access to Opera News, a news app based on an AI platform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Google Chrome</span> Web browser developed by Google

Google Chrome is a web browser developed by Google. It was first released in 2008 for Microsoft Windows, built with free software components from Apple WebKit and Mozilla Firefox. Versions were later released for Linux, macOS, iOS, and also for Android, where it is the default browser. The browser is also the main component of ChromeOS, where it serves as the platform for web applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chromium (web browser)</span> Open-source web browser project

Chromium is a free and open-source web browser project, primarily developed and maintained by Google. It is a widely-used codebase, providing the vast majority of code for Google Chrome and many other browsers, including Microsoft Edge, Samsung Internet, and Opera. The code is also used by several app frameworks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ChromeOS</span> Linux-based operating system developed by Google

ChromeOS, sometimes styled as chromeOS and formerly styled as Chrome OS, is a Linux-based operating system developed and designed by Google. It is derived from the open-source ChromiumOS and uses the Google Chrome web browser as its principal user interface.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chromebook</span> Laptop or tablet computer running ChromeOS

Chromebook is a line of laptop and tablet computers that run ChromeOS, an operating system developed by Google.

Google Drive is a file storage and synchronization service developed by Google. Launched on April 24, 2012, Google Drive allows users to store files in the cloud, synchronize files across devices, and share files. In addition to a web interface, Google Drive offers apps with offline capabilities for Windows and macOS computers, and Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. Google Drive encompasses Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides, which are a part of the Google Docs Editors office suite that permits collaborative editing of documents, spreadsheets, presentations, drawings, forms, and more. Files created and edited through the Google Docs suite are saved in Google Drive.

Firefox was created by Dave Hyatt and Blake Ross as an experimental branch of the Mozilla browser, first released as Firefox 1.0 on November 9, 2004. Starting with version 5.0, a rapid release cycle was put into effect, resulting in a new major version release every six weeks. This was gradually accelerated further in late 2019, so that new major releases occur on four-week cycles starting in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Google Now</span> Intelligent personal assistant

Google Now was a feature of Google Search of the Google app for Android and iOS. Google Now proactively delivered information to users to predict information they might need in the form of informational cards. Google Now branding is no longer used, but the functionality continues in the Google app and its discover tab.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Google Slides</span> Cloud-based presentation software

Google Slides is a presentation program included as part of the free, web-based Google Docs suite offered by Google. Google Slides is available as a web application, mobile app for: Android, iOS, and as a desktop application on Google's ChromeOS. The app is compatible with Microsoft PowerPoint file formats. The app allows users to create and edit files online while collaborating with other users in real-time. Edits are tracked by a user with a revision history presenting changes. An editor's position is highlighted with an editor-specific color and cursor and a permissions system regulates what users can do. Updates have introduced features using machine learning, including "Explore", offering and "tasks to other users."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Google Sheets</span> Cloud-based spreadsheet software

Google Sheets is a spreadsheet application included as part of the free, web-based Google Docs Editors suite offered by Google. Google Sheets is available as a web application; a mobile app for: Android, iOS, and as a desktop application on Google's ChromeOS. The app is compatible with Microsoft Excel file formats. The app allows users to create and edit files online while collaborating with other users in real-time. Edits are tracked by which user made them, along with a revision history. Where an editor is making changes is highlighted with an editor-specific color and cursor. A permissions system regulates what users can do. Updates have introduced features that use machine learning, including "Explore", which offers answers based on natural language questions in the spreadsheet. Sheets is one of the services provided by Google that also includes Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Drawings, Google Forms, Google Sites and Google Keep.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Microsoft Edge</span> Web browser developed by Microsoft

Microsoft Edge is a proprietary cross-platform web browser created by Microsoft. Released in 2015 as part of Windows 10 and Xbox One, it was initially built with Microsoft's own proprietary browser engine, EdgeHTML, and their Chakra JavaScript engine. Later on, it was ported to Android and iOS as a fork of Google's Chromium open-source project. In late 2018, Microsoft announced it would completely rebuild Edge as a Chromium-based browser with Blink and V8 engines, which allowed the browser to be ported to macOS. The new Edge was publicly released in January 2020, and on Xbox platforms in 2021. Microsoft has since terminated security support for the original browser. Edge is also available on older Windows versions, as well as Linux.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vivaldi (web browser)</span> Web browser with built-in email client

Vivaldi is a freeware, cross-platform web browser with a built-in email client developed by Vivaldi Technologies, a company founded by Tatsuki Tomita and Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner, who was the co-founder and CEO of Opera Software. Vivaldi was initially released on 27 January 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Google Docs</span> Cloud-based word processing software

Google Docs is an online word processor included as part of the free, web-based Google Docs Editors suite offered by Google, which also includes Google Sheets, Google Slides, Google Drawings, Google Forms, Google Sites and Google Keep. Google Docs is accessible via an internet browser as a web-based application and is also available as a mobile app on Android and iOS and as a desktop application on Google's ChromeOS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nearby Share</span> Data transfer program by Google

Nearby Share was a functionality developed by Google that allows data to be transferred between devices via Bluetooth, Wi-FI Direct or Internet. In 2024, it was merged into Samsung's Quick Share. It was available for Android, ChromeOS and Microsoft's Windows. It was first released on August 4, 2020.

References

  1. ↑ "The excellent Arc browser is now available for anyone to download". The Verge . 25 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  2. ↑ "Arc for macOS - 2024 Release Notes – Arc Help Center". 18 April 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  3. ↑ "Arc Sidebar Sync on the App Store". 2 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  4. ↑ "Arc for Windows - 2023/2024 Release Notes – Arc Help Center". 22 April 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  5. 1 2 "What Is the Arc Browser, the Invite-Only Way to Browse Online?". CMSWire.com. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  6. 1 2 "'The Arc Browser is the Chrome Replacement I've Been Waiting For' - Slashdot". slashdot.org. 19 November 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  7. ↑ "Arc for Windows by The Browser Company". www.isarconwindowsyet.com. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  8. ↑ Pierce, David (25 July 2023). "The excellent Arc browser is now available for anyone to download". The Verge. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Pierce, David (17 November 2022). "The Arc browser is the Chrome replacement I've been waiting for". The Verge . Archived from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 Ingraham, Nathan (25 May 2023). "The Arc internet browser lets you customize (or vandalize) any website". Engadget . Archived from the original on 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  11. 1 2 Moore-Colyer, Roland (18 November 2022). "The Arc browser is here to replace Chrome — and cure your tab chaos". Tom's Guide . Archived from the original on 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  12. 1 2 Pierce, David (25 May 2021). "One startup's quest to take on Chrome and reinvent the web browser". Protocol . Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  13. 1 2 "Meet Arc, a new innovative browser that challenges Chrome". Indian Express . 28 March 2023. Archived from the original on 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  14. ↑ The Browser Company [@browsercompany] (19 April 2022). "it's called Arc" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  15. 1 2 Newman, Jared (2 August 2022). "Four radical Chrome alternatives to reboot your web browser". Fast Company . Archived from the original on 20 April 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Brookes, Tim (1 May 2023). "Arc Browser Review: A Plucky New Browser With Big Ideas". How-To Geek. Archived from the original on 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  17. 1 2 Wong, Raymond (22 December 2022). "Arc is the best web browser to come out in the last decade". Inverse . Archived from the original on 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  18. 1 2 Pierce, David (25 May 2023). "Arc's new Boosts feature lets you change the way any website looks". The Verge . Archived from the original on 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  19. 1 2 Callaham, John (19 May 2023). "The team behind the Arc browser gives an update on its upcoming Windows version". Neowin . Archived from the original on 25 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  20. ↑ "Privacy Policy". arc.net. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  21. ↑ lilarepaa (15 March 2024). "getting rid of notes 💔". r/ArcBrowser. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  22. ↑ Carr 2022, p. 60.
  23. ↑ Mehta, Ivan (25 May 2023). "Arc browser's new tool lets you remove some elements from a website". TechCrunch . Archived from the original on 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  24. ↑ "Air Traffic Control: Route Links to the Right Space Automatically | Arc Resources". resources.arc.net. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  25. ↑ Ingraham, Nathan (1 February 2024). "The Arc Browser is getting new AI-powered features that try to browse the web for you". Engadget. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  26. ↑ Serrano, Jody (2 February 2024). "Arc's New AI Browser Features Are an Act of War Against Google Search". Gizmodo. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  27. ↑ Mehta, Ivan (11 April 2024). "Arc browser launches Live Folders to auto-update tabs for you". TechCrunch. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  28. 1 2 Pierce, David (29 January 2024). "Arc Search combines browser, search engine, and AI into something new and different". The Verge. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  29. ↑ "Arc Search — Find it, Faster". App Store. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  30. ↑ "Arc Search — Find it, Faster". App Store. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  31. ↑ "Arc Browser for Windows beta invites are finally being sent out". Neowin. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  32. ↑ Pierce, David (30 March 2023). "Arc's mobile browser is here — and it's not really a web browser at all". The Verge . Archived from the original on 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  33. ↑ Clark, Mitchell (27 March 2023). "Arc is coming to iPhone, but it won't replace Safari yet, says CEO". The Verge . Archived from the original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  34. ↑ We're Loving These Products! , retrieved 19 December 2023
  35. ↑ Smith, Chris (31 July 2023). "I want to try the trendy Arc browser, but not if they force me to register an account". BGR.

Sources

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.