Affiliate Disclosure
If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Read our ethics policy.

Share of iOS Safari, Chrome browsers grow as Google updates app for iPhone 5

Google on Monday rolled out an updated version of its popular Chrome iOS web browser, bringing the multi tab-friendly experience to iOS 6 and more specifically the iPhone 5's 4-inch display, while Apple's own Safari gained over two percent share in iOS browser market.

When Google's app was first introduced in June, Chrome for iOS was thought to be the first legitimate contender to Apple's built-in Safari web browser, however it seems interest in the mobile browser has cooled with adoption rates showing only a moderate increase over the past two months.

Initial adoption of Google's app was high, taking 1.4 percent of the iOS browser market in less than one month as a number of users were eager to try out the software's speed and much-touted compatibility with its desktop counterpart. Chrome's unique features like multi-device syncing won some critical acclaim at launch, however Safari in iOS 6 now offers the same functionality with iCloud Tabs.

Chrome Tabs

As of this writing, usage data from mobile advertising firm Chitika pegs Chrome adoption at 2.1 percent, with growth coming at the expense of other iOS browsers, not Safari, which actually gained an additional 1.2 percent market share.

iOS Browser Share
Source: Chitika

The rise in Safari usage could be a result of iDevice owners upgrading to Apple's iOS 6. Earlier on Monday, CEO Tim Cook announced that over 100 million devices had installed the new operating system since its debut less than a week ago.

Chrome is available as a free download through the iOS App Store.