Google has an early Christmas gift for Windows 10 users, sort of. The company has quietly released a Google Chrome installer app in the Microsoft Store, but it’s a simple web wrapper that will redirect you to the Chrome download page in your default web browser (via The Verge). Yes, this is just in case you didn’t already know how to download it on your PC.
The store listing explains that this app won’t allow you to install Google Chrome on Windows 10 S. Still, Google has never been a supporter of Microsoft’s app store over the years, so it’s quite surprising to see the company release this app today and expose itself to criticism.
Unfortunately, the Chrome browser won’t be released in the Microsoft Store anytime soon. As Microsoft explained earlier this year, this is because Microsoft only accepts third-party browsers that are true UWP apps and use the same HTML and Javascript engines that Edge uses. Unfortunately, It’s safe to assume that Google will never take the time to do this to please the small numbers of Windows 10 S and Windows 10 Mobile users out there.
The Google Chrome installer currently has a single 1-star rating at the time of this writing, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the store listing gets flooded with bad reviews over the coming days. To be clear, it’s just faster to search for Google Chrome using your web browser than installing this app to be redirected to the download page. It’s not clear why Google didn’t figure this out but hey, Google now has an app in the Microsoft Store. Who knows what they are planning to do next?
Update: The Chrome Installer app has already been removed from the Microsoft Store today, as spotted by Thurrott.com. It’s not exactly clear what led to the removal, but Google probably didn’t need to have an app with terrible reviews on Microsoft’s app store.
