The web browser, reimagined
Arc by The Browser Company is changing the way we surf the internet
I’ve been using Arc for over a year now and it has changed the way I think about and use the web browser. But what can a browser really do differently you might ask? Web browsers are a well developed product category — Google Chrome, the most popular browser, launched in 2008. All the browsers look similar and haven’t changed much in the last few years — they are all somewhat boring but they get the job done. So again, what could a browser do differently to stand out… to reimagine how you use the internet? Let’s get into it.
Features
Arc has a few features that make it stand out
- Spaces
You can have a dedicated space for every area of your life that you don’t want mingling — “work”, “personal”, and any projects. For example, I use three spaces — a default personal space, one for iOS app development and another one for everything else — writing, research, browsing.
And if you want even more separation, like separate logins and sessions for apps, you could use profiles.
2. Favorites
These sit at the top of the sidebar and are shared across spaces. So you could add any website or app you use frequently and doesn’t belong to just one space as a favorite.
3. Pinned tabs
Like bookmarks, these are tabs you want for quick access in any specific space. Each space will have its own set of pinned tabs.
4. Features
AI is all the hype, and most products tend to just slap AI onto their name for the cout- but Arc is using AI in a way that makes sense, and improves the user experience. The suite of AI features, called Arc Max, include renaming tabs and downloads to be more intuitive and cleaner, organizing and grouping tabs, access to ChatGPT using the command bar, and my favorites — using Command F for not just keyword search, but asking question about page content, and showing page summaries when using google search.
5. Customization
I’m a sucker for gradients. Arc gives you a lot of customization options to make your space look the way you want it to using gradients and icons, it makes the browser feel like more than just a utility, but an enjoyable and inspiring experience.
Changing the way I use the browser
- Web vs native apps
Ever since I started using arc, I prefer using web versions of apps more than the native mac apps. For example, I switched to using Notion on the web. The quick and easy access through Favorites or Pinned tabs,, and the Arc UI which allows for an experience similar to native apps nudged me to make the call.
2. Shortcuts
I’ve also started using shortcuts more often — partly because arc suggests it often when you perform an action that could more easily be done using a keyboard shortcut, and partly because they seem more intuitive on Arc. Since I started using Arc, I tend to only use shortcuts for actions like creating new tabs, copying the current URL, etc.
3. Cleaner windows
Arc is excellent at organization — mostly because of features including spaces and favorites, as well as automatically archiving tabs and AI features like tidy tabs. Let’s not forget little arc — which is where external links open by default — and you can choose to close them for eternity or open in the space of choice. All of these features together make for a cleaner and more productive browser experience.
Arc Search for iOS
The Browser Company recently launched a mobile browser app as well — Arc Search — with the idea that it is “browser that browses for you”. So the “browse for me” feature looks at a bunch of websites for any query you submit, and makes a custom webpage summarizing the results. Like any AI answer engine/chatbot, it’s not a hundred percent accurate, but definitely useful. They also recently added sync with desktop (finally!) so you can access tabs from your spaces.
And the mobile app follows the theme of a well designed and fun to use interface, that I enjoy using more than any other mobile browser I’ve tried. It’s now my default browser on iOS (au revoir, Safari!).
I like it when software not only does the job it was built to do but makes for a fun and enjoyable experience — and Arc is doing just that. Now it is by no means perfect but what excites me is how The Browsing Company has reinvented the browsing experience and I can’t wait to see what they build next.
For now, Arc is a great browser, and given its skyrocketing popularity, I’m not the only one that thinks so. So to The Browser Company, Thank you — keep listening to the feedback (but please ignore the naysayers that shit on you), keep innovating and building cool software. And… if you’re hiring… let’s chat?
