Microsoft Removes Google’s Chrome Installer From The Windows Store

Google published a Chrome application in the Windows store today, which has just directed users to a download link to install the browser. Microsoft is not impressed with Google's obvious snub of the Windows Store, and is taking action. "We have removed the Google Chrome Installer application from Microsoft Store, as it violates our Microsoft Store policies," a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement to The Verge.

Citing the need to ensure that applications "provide unique and distinctive value," Microsoft says "we welcome Google to create a Microsoft Store browser application that complies with our Microsoft Store policies." That is an invitation that Google probably will not accept. There are many reasons why Google probably will not bring Chrome to the Windows Store, but the main reason is probably related to Microsoft's Windows 10 S restrictions. Windows Store applications that browse the web must use HTML and JavaScript engines provided by Windows 10, and Google's Chrome browser uses its own Blink rendering engine. Google would have to create a special Chrome application that adhered to the policies of the Microsoft Store.

Most Windows 10 machines do not run Windows 10 S, so Google probably will not create a special version just for your browser to appear in the Windows Store. Google also can not simply pack your existing desktop application into an application from the Centennial Windows Store. Microsoft is explicit about any store application that has to use the Edge rendering engine.

The Verge understands that Google created this installation application to combat the fake Chrome applications that can be found in the Windows Store, a problem that Microsoft has been trying to solve for years. The Google temporary solution has now been removed from the Windows Store, so Windows 10 users should still use Microsoft Edge to access the Chrome download site if they wish to access the Google search engine.

This is not the first time that Microsoft and Google are facing browsers or platforms. Both companies fought for a YouTube application for Windows Phone, Microsoft pointed to Google with "Scroogled" ads and Microsoft also criticized the use of Chrome's battery. We have contacted Google to see if this is a battle that will continue, but the company is not commenting on the elimination.