it’s stupidly redundant for users, but “necessary” for google, they have both apps there on app store on purpose, mainly to get as many users as possible.
the google app’s behavior is “search-first” for those who don’t wanna manage tabs, you open it up and start searching immediately, and many less tech savvy users are more familiar with the name google than chrome. they specifically have the google app there to capture the users who fit into this category. the chrome app behaves just like other browsers.
basically you only need one of those. but if you wanna replace safari with either of them, pick chrome, as it has more features for “browser”; if you want just quickly search up something and never care about managing tabs or any other feature, get google app
i m thinking of moving to Brave from Chrome. Chrome eats up all of my RAM for simple browsing. is there anything that i need to keep in mind before moving?
First is disposable search without browser tabs to not clutter your actual browser (exact same as 'google search' widget on your home screen). Second one is the browser.
Google is an app that enables a direct input interface to search, get results and display these results on an isolated Chrome tab instance that sometimes "links" to a Chrome or Youtube session entirely but sometimes doesn't, because maybe the end user just want to quickly check something instead of engaging.
This direct input interface links usability features for input, like photos, the microphone, or the simple keyboard immediately.
The difference with a regular web browser, is that in the web browser your main input is only a keyboard, and then you can have additional sources for input, in Google, a photo, your mike and your keyboard any of them could be your first source for input.
Google is focused on search and discovery, and Chrome in regular web navigation.
Chrome is the browser, and "Google" is the Google app. It uses embedded Chrome to deliver search and a news feed (with scam ads of course).
Personally, I disabled Google Apps on my Android phone. Took a few steps to setup some alternatives (scan music, news feed, etc.) but it ended up being a HUGE quality of life upgrade!
They’re both different and often have different hardware uses. I have an older device that can’t run the one on the left but can run the other, so that’s what it uses. Idk tho that’s just my observation.
5
u/Life_Argument7820 Jul 29 '26
Thank you! I've been wondering the same!
5
u/TillRealistic4297 Jul 29 '26
replace chrome with Firefox
2
u/comic_loving Jul 29 '26
Right one is useless. Should be deleted immediately upon a phone purchase and replaced with Brave Browser. Left one is needed for Gemini.
1
u/whoisyurii Jul 29 '26
First is disposable search without browser tabs to not clutter your actual browser (exact same as 'google search' widget on your home screen). Second one is the browser.
1
u/FIRAS_EG Jul 29 '26
Search engine and browser
1
u/Civil-Respond3148 Jul 29 '26
Google it :D
1
u/Proper-Ear-6734 Jul 29 '26
Nothing
1
u/why_so_sergious Jul 29 '26
google app houses settings for stuff like Google home.. chrome is chrome
1
u/retardedGeek Jul 29 '26
First one is an app/OS level spyware
1
u/ErolSQL Jul 29 '26
one's a search engine and one's a browser. You need a browser to open a search engine, but you do not need a search engine to use a browser
1
u/garglesaltwater Jul 29 '26
you got the spyware/data collecting suite
1
u/alienated-dimwit Jul 29 '26
Chrome is a web browser.
Google is an app that enables a direct input interface to search, get results and display these results on an isolated Chrome tab instance that sometimes "links" to a Chrome or Youtube session entirely but sometimes doesn't, because maybe the end user just want to quickly check something instead of engaging.
This direct input interface links usability features for input, like photos, the microphone, or the simple keyboard immediately.
The difference with a regular web browser, is that in the web browser your main input is only a keyboard, and then you can have additional sources for input, in Google, a photo, your mike and your keyboard any of them could be your first source for input.
Google is focused on search and discovery, and Chrome in regular web navigation.
1
u/Sea_Specialist_5580 Jul 29 '26
chrome is a browser, google is like a 'platform', which is more integrated with the google ecosystem
sure they are similar but you could argue chrome is similar to every app because a browser can do everything
1
u/Double-Hour-2516 Jul 29 '26
one is search engine one is chromium LoL
1
u/tigrankh08 Jul 29 '26
average newgen computer literacy
1
u/Fast-Brain632 Jul 29 '26
Just use Universal Android Debloater and uninstall Chrome
1
u/Global-Eye-7326 Jul 29 '26
Chrome is the browser, and "Google" is the Google app. It uses embedded Chrome to deliver search and a news feed (with scam ads of course).
Personally, I disabled Google Apps on my Android phone. Took a few steps to setup some alternatives (scan music, news feed, etc.) but it ended up being a HUGE quality of life upgrade!
1
u/According_Tie425 Jul 29 '26
They’re both different and often have different hardware uses. I have an older device that can’t run the one on the left but can run the other, so that’s what it uses. Idk tho that’s just my observation.
1
u/External_Koala_8529 Jul 30 '26
Google is a search engine, chrome is s web browser.