14 DAY TRIAL // The official Google Chrome installer showed up out of nowhere in the Microsoft Store a few hours ago, though it wasn’t supposed to provide access to a UWP version of the browser, but to the same Win32 application that’s also available on the desktop.
Microsoft, however, removed the Google Chrome installer from the Microsoft Store, explaining that it violated its policy, recommending instead its long-time rival to develop a fully-featured browser for Windows 10.
“We have removed the Google Chrome Installer App from Microsoft Store, as it violates our Microsoft Store policies,” a Microsoft spokesperson explained. “We welcome Google to build a Microsoft Store browser app compliant with our Microsoft Store policies.”
No UWP version of Google Chrome
While Google hasn’t commented on this “app” removal, the company was quoted as saying by the cited source that its Chrome installer was posted in the Microsoft Store in order to fight against fake apps trying to capitalize on its success and benefit from the lack of a Chrome app for Windows 10.
This can obviously be addressed pretty easily by simply launching a UWP flavor for Google Chrome, but the search giant is very unlikely to do that, especially because browsers posted in the Microsoft Store need to be using the rendering engines implemented in Microsoft Edge.
A UWP version of Google Chrome would come in handy not only to Windows 10 users, but also to those running Windows 10 S, the version that’s limited to Microsoft Store apps and which blocks the installation of Win32 software. Windows 10 S can be upgraded to Windows 10 Pro should users want it, and on devices like Microsoft’s own Surface Laptop this switch is available free of charge if performed before December 31.
Windows 10 users who want to download Google Chrome need to turn to Edge to do this after the installer was removed from the Microsoft Store, so it appears the joke saying that “Microsoft Edge is the best browser to download Google Chrome” will be around for a little longer.