I tried to leave Chrome on Android, but these core features pulled me right back

Chrome is preinstalled on almost every Android phone and is deeply connected to Google accounts and services. This makes it difficult for users to switch away. My colleagues, Anu and Stephen, experienced this firsthand. While they tried to do so, they found it challenging to leave Chrome as they missed several core features. There are other browsers that offer good alternatives, such as Firefox with add-ons, Brave with ad blocking, Microsoft Edge with extensions and Read Aloud, and Samsung Browser with Galaxy AI.

However, replicating Chrome's core features in these browsers is a hassle. Most users who have used Chrome for a while have saved passwords and passkeys to the Google Password Manager, which works seamlessly with other Google apps. Most alternatives push their own password managers and syncing features. Google's latest AI capabilities in Chrome, such as summarizing pages, adding events to Google Calendar, and saving notes to Keep, make it difficult to switch away.

These features sync across devices, including laptops, but may not be available on all non-Samsung Android phones or on Macs. Despite the availability of good alternatives, Chrome remains the most seamless option for Android users heavily reliant on Google services.