Arc Search Launches on Android: A Promising Start with Room for Growth

Arc Search Is Now on Android, but It's Missing Some Key Features

Arc Search is finally available on Android as an open beta. Those who relish the Arc browser's gorgeous design language, AI search engine, and unique tab-management features on desktop can now enjoy a similar experience on their Android smartphone. As expected, the Android version of Arc Search is missing some functionality at launch. The biggest omission is Arc Sync, which allows you to sync tabs and other content with Arc on desktop or iOS. Pinch to Summarize and Call to Ask are also absent, and Arc's excellent desktop tab-grouping features still haven't made their way to the iOS or Android versions of the browser. Close But the app's core functionality -- browsing, tab archiving, ad blocking, and the Browse for Me AI search engine -- are all intact. Arc Search for Android is impressively lightweight, too, with an initial download size of just 7MB as of this release. And The Browser Company's design language is as fresh as ever. Arc Search is an undeniably gorgeous app. Android users also get an exclusive Arc Search app icon. I assumed that no one would care about the app icon, but a bunch of iPhone owners are leaving jealous comments on Threads and Twitter, so I guess it's a win for the Android community. I should point out that Arc browser is not yet available on Linux and lacks native support for Windows on ARM. An ARM64 version of the Arc browser is currently in development, but Linux does not appear to be a priority. (Arc is built in Swift, an Apple programming language. Porting it to Windows was a huge undertaking, so don't hold your breath for a Linux release.) You can install Arc Search on any device running Android 13 or later. Note that this app is currently in open beta and may contain bugs. The Browser Company has not revealed a launch date for Arc Sync on Android. Source: The Browser Company via 9to5Mac

Arc Search for Android is now available in beta

After The Browser Company teased the launch at the end of August, Arc Search is now officially available on Android in an early beta phase. Arc Search is an alternative mobile browser designed specifically to offer a streamlined, distraction-free web-browsing experience. While the design, animations, and user experience are key selling points it also offers lots of baked-in AI functionality with features like the controversial "Browse for Me." This summarizes information from multiple websites on a single page by generating an "answer" to yout initial search query. There is also a native ad blocker built in. The Browser Company states that this limits intrusive ads, trackers, banners, and is even able to block GDPR pop-ups. This could be one of the major reasons that many people have been waiting for Arc Search on Android. Another notable feature is the auto-archiving capability. If you use Arc Search as your default browser, any inactive tabs will be automatically archived if they're not in use or not being interacted with. This aims to keep your browsing experience clutter and distraction free. The Browser Company has stated that their aim was to create the "fastest way to search" and offer one. of the "lightest" browsers on mobile. The Play Store download comes in at under 4MB, while the full install comes in at under 20MB - which is definitely one way of keeping your promise. This is more impressive given it was built from the ground up for Android by just two developers.

Arc Search, one of my favorite iPhone apps, is now on Android | Digital Trends

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us? Earlier this year, Arc Search became one of my favorite iPhone apps in recent memory. It's a browser app that's wicked fast, has a very clean interface, and has an unbelievably good AI feature. Today, Arc Search's developers (The Browser Company) have announced that the app is finally coming to Android. As of October 3, you can head to the Google Play Store and download Arc Search on any Android device running Android 13 or later. The app is still in open beta, and not every feature from the iOS app is currently available. Regardless, it's still exciting to see one of this year's best iPhone apps officially land on Android. Recommended Videos If you've never used Arc Search, getting started with the app is incredibly simple. Upon opening it, you're immediately presented with a search bar to type in a URL or a search query. Tapping the + icon opens a new tab, and you can tap the Cards icon in the bottom-left corner to view all of your open tabs/searches. The real magic of Arc Search lies with its Browse for Me feature. After typing in a search query/question, you can hit Go/Enter to perform a regular Google search. Alternatively, you can tap the Browse for Me button. When you do this, Arc Search's AI automatically reads multiple websites and generates an answer to your question. You get clearly defined answers, helpful background information, and source links so you know what websites Arc Search got its answers from. Browse for Me is easily one of my favorite ways to search the web, and I think you're going to love it. In addition to Browse for Me, Arc Search also has an ad blocker enabled by default. You can disable it if you want, but Arc Search blocks ads, banners, trackers, and pop-ups right out of the box. Some of Arc Search's newer features, such as voice search and Raise to Call Arc, aren't yet available. However, as the app continues through the beta process and eventually gets an official launch, it should reach feature parity with its iOS sibling. Arc Search is now available to download from the Google Play Store.

Arc's 'better mobile browser' is now available on Android

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement. After months of waiting, now Android users can take the Arc Search app for a spin. It's now available as an open beta on the Google Play Store after developers teased an Android version of the app in August. Arc is The Browser Company's take on web browsing, billing itself as offering better customization options than competitors. The Arc Search app also comes with an AI feature, called "Browse for me," that searches the web for your query and comes up with a summary based on its sources. The app also automatically archives old tabs, blocks ads by default, and gets rid of data-tracking popups, which has me tempted to switch away from Edge. While Arc initially launched as a Mac-only desktop browser, the Arc Search app launched widely for iOS devices in January and on Windows in April. Speaking to The Verge on our Decoder podcast last month, The Browser Company co-founder and CEO Josh Miller said he plans to launch a paid product that will apply "additional functionality on top" of the app. "We really think of Arc Search as the companion app to the desktop product... but the intention of Arc Search: it is the mobile browser to the desktop browser," Miller said.

I tested Arc Search's Android beta, and it makes me want to ditch Chrome

There was a time a while ago when the tech world was buzzing about how cool the Arc browser was. However, us Android users were left stuck on the sidelines without access to all its coolness. After serving its iOS-exclusive spell, Arc is finally making its Android debut in beta, and I couldn't wait to test it out. So, I did. Its novel take on browser design and AI niceties quickly tempted me to switch away from Google Chrome on my phone. But before you whip out your favorite Android phone and download the Arc beta from the Play Store, you should know why I ultimately decided against the switch, at least for now. Related Google Chrome: 5 features it needs to steal from Arc browser Chrome could learn a thing or two from this new kid on the block 4 The playfulness draws you in And what works, works Close Arc Search's tab switcher on Android (left) vs. iOS The Arc browser is a bubbly, cheery portal to the internet and not some boring tool that screams, "WORK!!" It carries that persona to the Android app as well, welcoming you with colorful slates that set the lively vibe right from the onboarding screen. That feeling spreads to the app's settings page and other sections you'll often use. Even the menu bar is cleaner and less densely packed than Chrome (or any other mainstream mobile browser, for that matter). Your open tabs are arranged in large cards, mimicking Android's recent apps screen (above), though I wish it looked more like iOS's stacked layout, which takes far less space and scrolls to reach the right tab. Speaking of which, scrolling through the tabs gives you sharp haptic feedback, which makes it all the more pleasing to use. It's little things like this that contribute to winning the user over. I know I got convinced -- well, almost. As its name suggests, Arc Search isn't your typical web browser. Think of it as a richer version of the Google Search app, but with tab support. Arc Search actually wants you to search the web instead of directing you to a home page like other browsers to push ads disguised as suggestions. The app starts with the cursor in the search bar and your keyboard open to eliminate any friction from the process. While you can change that, I hope Arc retains this default option and doesn't add its own front page down the line. Close Arc on Android makes your life easier by even looking up the web for you with the very literally named Browse For Me feature. It's a Perplexity-like search engine that scans over half a dozen articles to give you a quick, well-laid-out summary dotted with emoji for that extra bit of zest. It is generally helpful for researching topics on your behalf, but it also suggested I search for Arc on the Play Store to get the beta release days before it was actually out on Android's app store. Either it has super-human (super-AI?) qualities to see the future, or it is just cooking up things just like every other AI sometimes does. I'm leaning towards the latter. Nevertheless, the app worked for me without a hiccup -- for the available features, that is. Because there's a lot missing. What makes Arc, Arc? You'll need an iPhone to know that Arc Search first came to iOS back in January this year. That's a lot of months for the iOS version to mature and gain more features. That's exactly what you'd feel when you compare the Android beta with its iPhone counterpart. What made the Arc browser stand out are its tab management tools and AI features roster, which doesn't seem like an afterthought, but rather an integrated part of the experience. Arc Search for iOS is far ahead in the game, while this Android beta is just starting out with the basics. For starters, Arc Sync is missing. Even though the feature is already quite limited, without it, the browser can't sync anything at all, not even your open tabs. Another feature that I dig on the iPhone is the ability to switch between search engines after you've sent your query, as shown in the images below. If Google Search's AI Overviews isn't able to give you the answer you're looking for, you can simply tap a button to switch to Arc's Browse For Me. It saves a lot of taps since the entire process of opening a new tab and typing out your query is compressed into a single, swift gesture. Close That's everything Arc Search on iOS has, while Android doesn't Arc Search for iOS also has a pinch gesture to quickly summarize any webpage. It's handy for sure, but again, no trace of it on Android. Similarly, Call Arc is a pretty cool, built-in alternative to Gemini Live, where you can interact with AI, but as if on a phone call -- all the wait times between replies indeed make it feel like one. It has sort of become a theme at this point, but once again, Call Arc isn't available on Android just yet. I'd like to see advanced features from Arc's desktop app, like automatic tab grouping, labeling, and folder management. All these were the reasons I switched to Arc on the desktop in the first place. If you ask me for that one thing I want on Arc Search for Android, it would be better tab management. What you have now is automatic tab archiving, which clears your tabs after a set amount of time -- the default is one day. While that keeps the clutter away, I'd like to see advanced features from Arc's desktop app, like automatic tab grouping, labeling, and folder management. All these were the reasons I switched to Arc on the desktop in the first place. That's how it goes Everybody knows The version I tested is Arc's first Android beta. You expect a lot of things to be missing and broken from an app this early in its development cycle. As I previously said, the beta felt snappy, and its features worked as expected. But spending some time with it has left me wanting more. I hope things change for the better by the time everyone gets to lay their hands on the stable release in the coming weeks. Until that happens, I'm sticking to Chrome and Firefox on my phone even though I've transitioned entirely to Arc on my Mac; these missing sync features are as good as not having the mobile browser at all, as it had been until a few days ago. I'll happily go back to my broken, cross-device setup and check back once again when the stable release is out to ensure my meticulously arranged profiles and favorites can be brought to the phone app. But hey, at least Arc Search got a Material You-themed icon right off the bat.