Web browsers are the most used application on PCs. The competition is equally fierce. However, most browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and even Brave, have very similar interfaces. Arc is a new browser that we believe will revolutionize the way we use the web. It provides a browsing experience that increases productivity by minimizing the tedious tasks of opening and closing tabs.
ⓒ Foundry
Recently, Arc for Windows was officially released. Before that, I was able to try Arc for Windows in advance in a version distributed to registered users on the waiting list. It’s an attractive Web browser, but it requires you to completely change the way you think about your browsing experience. Adapting to a completely different environment can significantly improve productivity.
What is Arc Browser?
Arc is a free web browser currently available for Windows 11, macOS, and iPhone. A version for Windows 10 and an app for Android will also be released soon. It was developed by The Browser Company, a startup based in New York. The Mac version was released in July 2023, and Arc for Windows was released in late April.
The rendering engine is based on Chromium, which is the basis for almost all browsers except Firefox and Apple Safari. Therefore, all browser extensions available in Chrome are supported, and programs can be installed directly on Arc from the Chrome Web Store.
However, Arc provides an interface that handles all the browser features you use every day, including tabs, bookmarks, and profiles, in a completely different way.
Arc’s user interface takes some getting used to, but it can increase your productivity. ⓒ Foundry
Are today’s web browsers stuck in the past?
Browser innovation has clearly slowed down. The same goes for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave and even Safari. The default settings are the same regardless of which browser you open. It seems like the last big innovation was the launch of Google’s multi-process browser, Chrome, in 2008. The web has changed a lot in the last 16 years. But why hasn’t a browser been released yet that fundamentally changes the way we use the Web to keep up with the evolving work environment?
This is the goal of Arc. Arc is not just a new browser with some unique features. Ark contains a new concept of how we use the web. It offers ways to make everything from work to personal browsing faster, more productive, and overall better.
Additionally, the browser company is introducing various AI features to the Arc experience via Arc Max. These AI features are not yet supported in the Windows version and are being tested experimentally in the Mac version.
Faster than anyone else, different from others
Ark has completely changed the relationship between tabs and bookmarks. Ark does not have a tab bar in the top window. Instead, there is a sidebar. However, this sidebar is not a typical sidebar provided as an option in web browsers like Edge.
First of all, users don’t have to manage tabs. Arc automatically “archives” tabs after 12 hours, but this is just the default and you can change it to another period, such as 30 days, if you want. We open and close numerous tabs during the workday, and Arc saves us the hassle of managing them all. If necessary, click the “Archived” icon at the bottom of the tabs sidebar to view a list of closed tabs. You can also manually close tabs here.
Archive list ⓒ ITWorld
But what about frequently used cards? Arc combines bookmarks and tabs in a way very similar to the “pinned tabs” offered by other modern competing programs. Pinned tabs appear at the top of the tabs sidebar. Drag a tab to the top area of the sidebar to pin it.
Pinned tabs work like a combination of bookmarks and open tabs. You can access it simply by clicking on the tab. Basically, Arc handles pinned tabs much like the way modern mobile operating systems (Android and iOS) handle apps. You don’t have to worry if a tab is “open”. In any case, clicking on the website name in the sidebar will load that website. Tabs can also be organized into folders.
Blocked tabs. If you drag the open tab from bottom to top, the problem will be solved. ⓒITWorld
The New Tab dialog (Ctrl+T) lets you browse open tabs or go directly to a tab that’s already open. The new tabbed environment is similar to a search bar called a command bar. One feature of Arc is that if the tab the user is looking for is open, it opens that tab, preventing the user from repeatedly opening the same tab.
New Tab ⓒ ITWorld dialog box
A change in the way we think about cards
For people who are too familiar with how existing web browsers work, it may be difficult to understand how Arc’s tabs work can help improve productivity. It is easy to understand this if we consider it in the following way.
People who frequently access Gmail on Chrome will save Gmail web pages to the Bookmarks bar at the top. When you open Chrome and try to access Gmail, clicking this bookmark will open the Gmail tab.
After opening and working on numerous tabs, I try to go back to Gmail. However, with so many tabs open, it is difficult to find the previously opened Gmail tab. Or you may have closed your Gmail tab. You can open two Gmail tabs without knowing you already have one open. This clearly does not help improve productivity.
Ark does this. When you run Ark, important “pinned” sites appear at the top of the sidebar. If you add Gmail, you can use it as a bookmark.
Now let’s imagine the same situation. I’m working on another tab and want to go back to Gmail. All you have to do is click Gmail in the sidebar again. Gmail added to the sidebar is a combination of bookmarks and tabs. No need to search for Gmail tabs or open an unnecessary second Gmail tab. If you press Ctrl+T in Arc and then type “Gmail” or “gmail.com,” it will take you to the tab that’s already open.
Arc’s new tabs dialog helps you avoid opening duplicate tabs. ⓒ Foundry
It’s hard to understand until you actually use it, but I hope this explanation helps you see Arc’s productivity-enhancing features. Luckily, if you’re using a Windows 11 PC, you can use these features right away.
Split screen tabs, tab organization space, favorite tabs
Arc also provides unique features that are hard to find in more popular browsers. A representative example is the split view function, which allows two web pages to be opened next to each other. What’s even better is that you can pin the two split pages to the sidebar. Therefore, users who often need to view two websites side by side can open both sites side by side with just one click. This is a feature that greatly helps in improving productivity. In other browsers, you need to use the Windows Snap feature to set up pages one by one.
You can set up split screens in a browser and add specific split screen configurations to the sidebar. ⓒ Foundry
There are several “spaces” in Arc’s sidebar. You can create a workspace and a personal space. Or you can group pages related to multiple projects you’re working on in each space. Instead of organizing bookmarks into folders like a typical browser, this method organizes open tabs by project.
Additionally, profiles with different settings such as cookie acceptance and record storage can be assigned to different spaces. Typically, people set up two profiles: one for work and one for personal use, but Arc offers a new way to manage and switch between browser profiles.
Arc offers a variety of flexible operating methods for profiles. ⓒ Foundry
At the top of the added site is the “Favorites” tab displayed as an icon. This card is shared in all open spaces. Thus, you can access sites that you access frequently (for example, Gmail) with one click from any “space”. If you drag a tab into the icon area above the sidebar, it will be saved as a Favorites tab.
A sync function is also provided so that settings such as saved tabs, space and favorites can be shared with other PCs and operating systems.
Ark’s security and revenue model
You need an account to use Ark. Signing in is optional in Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, but you can’t use Arc without signing in.
Some users may feel uneasy about security. The browser company promises in its privacy policy that it doesn’t know which websites you visit, that it doesn’t see what you type, and that it doesn’t sell user data to third parties. All important points are well explained in the privacy policy.
The Browser Company is currently a startup and does not appear to be focused on the “revenue generation” industry yet. According to Ark’s FAQ, it promises not to sell user data or engage in advertising-based businesses. At some point, the company may pursue a “freemium” strategy, charging subscription fees for additional features or offering Team plans aimed at enterprise users, but that remains to be seen. Or, Arc Max with AI capabilities could become a profit model.
Is it worth giving up familiarity?
The bow is very different. If you install Arc to improve productivity, you will be surprised by a completely different environment. You should spend some time learning how Arc works and cleaning up the websites you use the most, so you can fully understand how Arc works and benefit from it in the process. Therefore, I hope you will install and explore Arc when you have time.
To use Ark properly, you need to completely revamp the way you use the browser. Is it worth changing? It’s hard to say whether Arc is the best browser out there, but there’s a reason why it’s so popular on Mac. There’s also a reason why it’s called a “power user browser.” Ordinary users may not want to abandon the familiar use of the browser and learn something new. This is completely understandable. Even if you are an experienced user, you may be happy with your current browser. The choice is up to the user.
editor@itworld.co.kr
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