Arc, a browser that my colleague David Pierce described as an attempt to be “the web’s operating system,” is getting a companion app for iPhones on March 30th. Josh Miller, the CEO of Arc developer The Browser Company, says the app is “NOT a replacement for your default mobile browser (yet),” but it should let Arc users access at least some of the features they’ve gotten used to on the desktop version.
Arc is coming to iPhone, but it won’t replace Safari yet, says CEO
It’s a companion app rather than a full-fledged browser, but it does at least let you access some of the organization you’ve done on desktop.
It’s a companion app rather than a full-fledged browser, but it does at least let you access some of the organization you’ve done on desktop.
According to the App Store listing, the iOS browser will sync your desktop tabs and Spaces (read: groups of tabs, user accounts, and pinned sites), and you’ll be able to view your whiteboard-esque Easels and notes. You’ll also be able to share links to Arc that’ll be saved for you to read later.
Unfortunately, the release likely won’t do much for people who aren’t currently using Arc, at least at the moment. You’ll need to set Arc up on a Mac before using the iPhone app, according to Ellis Hamburger, a spokesperson for the company and Verge alumni. (Arc hasn’t made it to Windows yet.) To get access to the Mac version, you have to join a waitlist or get an invite from an Arc user.
Arc definitely has a unique vision on how you should use the internet, but it’s one that seems difficult to translate smoothly to phones. It does make some sense that The Browser Company is starting with a companion app rather than a full-fledged browser, but I can imagine the limitations of it not being a full-fledged browser will be disappointing to those who want to use Arc everywhere. Ditto the fact that there doesn’t appear to be an iPad version yet.
If you’re interested in Arc in general, I highly recommend reading David’s thorough review.
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