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Even the top Samsung Galaxy smartphones come with Samsung Internet pre-installed, which cannot be removed. Despite this, some users have criticized the company’s approach of compelling the browser, along with its other apps, on customers and questioned its quality and performance compared to other popular browsers.
This article provides an in-depth examination of Samsung Internet, its background, and noteworthy features, as well as a comparison with Google Chrome.
What Is Samsung Internet?
Samsung Internet is a web browser developed by Samsung for use on its Android smartphones and tablets. It was first released in 2012 and has since gained popularity among Samsung device users and was introduced as the default option on Samsung Galaxy devices, with the company’s main goal to bring the web to its products, including tablets, Gear Watch, smart TVs, Gear VR, and home appliances.
One of the key features of Samsung Internet is its compatibility with Samsung’s DeX platform, which allows users to switch between a desktop and mobile browsing experience seamlessly. The browser also comes with several privacy and security features, including a built-in ad blocker, anti-tracking capabilities, and a secret mode for private browsing.
In its early days, Samsung Internet was not based on Chrome. However, around a year later, in 2013, the OEM decided to base the browser on the Chromium project, which was first launched by Google in 2008.
Samsung Internet is based on the open-source Chromium project, which also powers Google Chrome, and it is available for download from the Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy Store. Overall, it offers a fast, feature-rich, and secure browsing experience for Samsung device users.. The first iteration of the new browser shipped with a version of the Galaxy S4 later that year.
As Samsung Internet gained popularity, the company made the browser available for download on the Google Play Store in 2015, making it accessible to a wider audience.
Additionally, Samsung brought the browser to Tizen smartwatches via the Samsung Galaxy Store. By 2016, Samsung estimated that the browser had approximately 400 million active monthly users, making it one of the most widely used browsers in the world.
Recent studies indicate that Samsung Internet holds 5.48% of the mobile and tablet browser market, showing that the browser has come a long way since its inception. But what notable features does it have, and how do they compare to Chrome? Keep reading to find out.
The browser supports a range of extensions, including content blockers and password managers, and it also allows users to customize the appearance of the browser with various themes and backgrounds. The browser also supports Samsung’s Bixby digital assistant, which can be used to search the web and perform other tasks hands-free.
Best Samsung Internet Features.
While Samsung Internet may be considered an unnecessary addition to the company’s proprietary Android skin by many users, it has several noteworthy features that make it one of the best and most complete mobile browsers. Here are some of them.
1. A password-protected Secret mode.
Incognito Mode is a staple of most browsers, allowing you to surf the web without worrying about saved search history, cookies, and data collection (to an extent). But these features aren’t really helpful to the average user. Samsung Internet takes things up a notch with its more practical Secret Mode. In addition to the previously mentioned features, the browser can block access to Secret Mode with a password, fingerprint ID, or face recognition so that your private tabs are only accessible to you. Furthermore, you can hide files downloaded using Secret Mode from the gallery, so they can only be viewed in Secret Mode.
2. Privacy Dashboard.
Most websites offer anti-tracking and pop-up blocking features. However, Samsung Internet provides an information dashboard of your web browsing sessions for the week. You’ll see which websites tracked you and which websites, pop-ups, and automatic downloads were blocked.
3. Video assistant.
If you watch a lot of video content in your browser, you can testify that many sites host their videos on platforms other than YouTube. As a result, the playback controls could be different and sometimes intuitive. Video assistant is Samsung’s way of simplifying the experience by offering a single layout for online videos. This gives you a set of floating playback buttons that are the same regardless of the website you’re on.
4. Lots of customization options.
Browsers don’t immediately come to mind when you think of customizability unless you’re using Samsung Internet. Its customization transcends beyond add-ons by giving you options to make the browsing experience your own.
Samsung Internet vs. Google Chrome
When it comes to mobile browsers, Google Chrome with over 10 billion downloads is the most popular option. So, how does Samsung Internet compare to Google’s browser?
Both browsers are similar in terms of browsing speed, but there are some key differences in terms of customization and cross-platform synchronization. Samsung Internet offers more customization options than Chrome and its Secret mode is more robust than Chrome’s Incognito mode. Additionally, Video Assistant and the privacy dashboard are appealing and useful features of Samsung Internet.
However, Chrome has an advantage in multi-platform support and synchronization. If you like to browse the web on your phone and continue on your Windows laptop, MacBook, or Chromebook and vice versa, Chrome is the better option. Since you’re signed in with your Google account, logging into supported websites is seamless.
