HACKER Q&A
📣 ryandvm

Why doesn't Google build chat into Chrome


It's kind of remarkable to me that Google has been slow motion fumbling their messaging strategy for the last 15 years, but here we are. However it occurred to me this morning that as the dominant browser vendor (by far), why doesn't Google just take a page from Apple and force the market into using Google chat by building it into Chrome?

Not only would this almost certainly be effective at increasing messaging market share, it would make using Google chat on the desktop a lot easier since currently they don't even have a native desktop client for it.

Not sure why I'm asking HN - just looking for some low key tech spitballing for a Friday I suppose.


  👤 theandrewbailey Accepted Answer ✓
> force the market

That sounds like a good target for an antitrust suit. A chat app doesn't sound like a good fit for being integrated into any browser.