Google Confirmed To Be Developing 'Chromoting' Remote Desktop App For iOS
by Joe White
January 17, 2014
Google has confirmed, in an online document, that an iOS iteration of its “Chromoting” remote desktop app is in development. Though “unpolished” and scheduled for release after the Android application, Chromoting for iOS promises users a free remote desktop service for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Given that most remote desktop apps don’t come cheap (the best of the bunch, Screens and the more powerful LogMeIn Ignition, carry price tags of $19.99 and $129.99), a free remote desktop offering from Google is great news for iDevice users.
The application is outlined at Google’s Chromium website, and here one project member explains:
As noted, the iOS version is very unpolished at this stage. The toolbar icons are all placeholder, and the background color behind the host screen needs to be changed from blue to black. The upper toolbar for iOS (containing just the back button, so it can barely be called a toolbar), is revealed by tapping on the compass in the lower toolbar. Our plan is to consolidate the upper and lower toolbars into one toolbar that will likely be located in the upper section of the screen.In terms of features and functionality, little else is known about Chromoting. Of course, as a remote desktop service it’ll allow users to access and interact with computers while on the move, from an iPhone or iPad, and Google’s Chrome will be used to establish the connection. Certain third-party remote desktop apps for iOS allow users to access and stream content from connected machines, and others are touch optimized, making it possible for users to interact with their Mac as they would an iDevice. My favorite app in this category is definitely Screens; it’s quick to establish connections and is optimized for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The app has also received regular updates since its initial release, too. But as mentioned, Screens will set iDevice users back $20. Here’s hoping Google’s Chromoting service will offer iOS users a free service that’s just as good. We’ll keep you updated with further information as we receive it. See also: China Mobile iPhone Launch: Tim Cook Signs Handsets, Is Asked About iPhone 6, ReadMore App Set To Enter New Chapter Under New Owner And Developer, and BioUnlock Jailbreak Tweak: Unlock Your Mac Using Touch ID. Via: 9to5Mac
