> That the #1 browser can't even be logically separated
But it can...
I mean, we’re talking about web apps, SaaS in the cloud. These can be delivered via PWA, any browser, Android or iOS app.
The fact that Chrome is Google’s flagship frontend to web-based apps is nearly immaterial. I can and do access their entire suite through Firefox, Safari, Chromium, etc.
It is simply the fact that they have built a shiny and well-refined branding on top of Chromium, and so I still don’t see the point of divestment, or what the web app architecture will look like afterwards.
I fully agree it can, I was replying to your initial comment "I can't see how Google sells off Chrome and remains Google". It should be quite easy to see Google remain Google without a web browser, especially since it reached $200 billion market cap before adding one.
The important integrations have more to do with profile sync, crash reporting, the branding, the Chrome+ChromeOS portions of Google Workspace, or things of that type. Actually accessing the Google websites to the level you could from any other browser is not one of the tie-in issues. The same goes for the removal any cross promotion of services (e.g. google.com promoting installing Chrome) but that'd be pretty naturally severed if Chrome were 3rd party rather than Google (and is another example of how Chromium existing is not really the same story).
But it can...
I mean, we’re talking about web apps, SaaS in the cloud. These can be delivered via PWA, any browser, Android or iOS app.
The fact that Chrome is Google’s flagship frontend to web-based apps is nearly immaterial. I can and do access their entire suite through Firefox, Safari, Chromium, etc.
It is simply the fact that they have built a shiny and well-refined branding on top of Chromium, and so I still don’t see the point of divestment, or what the web app architecture will look like afterwards.