Arc’s Home Page: Navigating the Nexus
Introduction 👋
If you follow the tech space closely, you’ve probably heard of Arc — a shiny new browser which aims to reshape the way we interact with the internet. Josh Miller, CEO of The Browser Company, recently hinted at the course he envisions for the company’s future on an episode of the Vergecast podcast. Here’s the gist of it in the context of this blog —
- Getting rid of the terms (and their meanings) inherited since the dawn of the World Wide Web, such as ‘web browser’, ‘search engines’ and ‘web page’.
- Eliminating the search engine entirely, getting the users straight to what they need, ASAP.
- A browser that allows users to bypass a new learning curve of not having to make searches via a search engine.
The conversation also encompasses topics such as the best practical application of AI, potential competition from the giants of the tech industry, etc. on the pod, so definitely check out the whole episode for a more comprehensive exploration.
Having been released to the public on macOS since July 2023 (Windows version currently in beta), The Browser Company recently turned their focus to their mobile (iOS) application with a complete overhaul. Now known as Arc Search, the mobile browser, to my understanding, is the closest thing to the true embodiment of what Arc wants to be — a browser that browses for you.
If you’d like to read my product case study on improving Arc’s old mobile browser application, click here.
That being said, the needs of a browser vary significantly based on the platform. Arc on desktop ultimately wants to progress along the lines of becoming an operating system for the web, the reason being — the web browser is primarily used for productivity and for a much longer duration than the mobile browser.
In one of their recent release notes, the team also decided to cut down on the lesser-used/unpopular features. The recent tab indicator was the first to take the fall. Sticking to this theme of optimising the browser, it would also be a good idea to re-structure some of the existing features to get the most out of them & to make them even more accessible.
I believe a significant step towards transforming the web browser into a web operating system while also streamlining it would involve the implementation of a dedicated Home Page for Arc. In this blog, I’m going to explain why.
Product Objectives 🎯
Let’s take a look at the product objectives of the desktop application —
1️⃣ Turn Arc into an Operating System for the Web — The idea is to differentiate Arc from the rest of the crop and restructure our interface to the internet. This is the overarching theme & perhaps the long-term goal of The Browser Company.
2️⃣ Bypass the Search Engine — Instead of going down the route of entering a search query, going through a list of websites & then finally landing on a webpage which contains what we’re looking for, the idea here is to take out the middleman and get users straight to their desired results.
3️⃣ Make the transition seamless — The way we’ve been using the internet since its inception hasn’t changed much at all, and forcing a paradigm shift is bound to face resistance due to the inherent inertia. So, the transition to a new style of surfing the web needs to steer clear of any major new learning curves.
4️⃣ Streamline the browser — Cutting down on the lesser used/unpopular features, or re-imagining existing ones to make them more accessible, making the browser more efficient overall.
Pain Points 🤕
In this section, I’ve listed out a couple of scenarios where the desktop application can do better (aligned with the theme of streamlining and turning into an operating system for the web) and subsequently make a case for my proposed feature request of a home page.
1️⃣ Out of sight, out of mind — Arc has a bunch of hidden gems like Easels, Notes and Boosts. Unfortunately, these features tend to slip from memory as they are not encountered unless actively sought for.
2️⃣ Untapped potential — Arc’s Library is a great feature for managing Spaces, Downloads, Easels, etc., but I don’t think I’ve touched it since setting up Spaces when I first downloaded the app, as I’m rarely in a situation where I need to access the library.
3️⃣ Repetitive searches — I’m sure I’m not alone when it comes to always having a tab open for the premier league fixtures, or those for specific stocks I’m tracking. These are simple Google searches. Similar repetitive searches stay open in the form of tabs occupying sidebar real estate almost permanently.
Solution: The Home Page 🏠
The best way to address the above-mentioned pain points while also staying aligned with the product objectives, in my opinion, would be the implementation of a Home Page for Arc — but not as an entirely new feature, rather, the proposed home page would be an overhaul of the existing Library, retaining its functionality while bringing in a handful of novel additions of its own.
A huge thanks to Aradhana Verma for helping out with the renders!
Key Features 🔑
- The Home Page icon sits at the bottom left of the sidebar, replacing the Library icon. Users can invoke the home page either by clicking on the icon, or by using the keyboard shortcut Cmd+Shift+H. Using the same shortcut when already on the home page takes you back to your most recent tab. The home page can either be common for all spaces or be customised for each space individually.
- At the top of the home page is a segment reserved for the features being carried from the Library. Clicking on the rectangular buttons opens pop-ups for their respective tasks, the same applies to the three square buttons on the top-right (from left to right: Downloads, Media, Release Notes).
- The search bar is placed at its usual height (when pulled up using Cmd+T). The user can press any key to start typing straight into the search bar. When the user is typing in the search bar, all the surrounding elements get greyed out.
- There is a divider which runs along the search bar, with a toggle at the right-hand side to hide/show the widgets below.
- To the right of the divider’s toggle button is an edit button which is used to edit the widgets below the search bar. This button turns into an ‘add’ button (+) in the absence of widgets.
- Tile-like widgets (partially loaded web pages) sit below the search bar. They can be customised using the edit button mentioned above to alter their layouts & the information that they display. These widgets can display things like sports scores, stock prices, word of the day, and even Arc-related information like ‘Keyboard shortcut of the day’ or other tips & tricks.
It goes beyond this, here are some more functionalities which can be incorporated into the home page —
- Option to set up notification alerts related to the added widgets (for instance, when there is a change in the sports score).
- AI-based summary report of all the changes in widget information, schedulable by the user (morning/evening) as a new Arc Max feature.
Why it makes sense 🤝
- On the lines of becoming an OS for the web, the home page provides the perfect centralised interface for accessing Arc’s core features. This should also simplify the onboarding process for new users.
- The home page results from a resource-efficient approach of repurposing & overhauling the existing Library, meaning that the desired results are achieved without substantial code overhead or system complexity for the existing functionality.
- Arc’s USPs like Easels, Notes & Boosts get a platform which should be accessed more often, and should, in turn, result in a boost (pun intended) in the usage of these features.
- Placing the search bar in the middle of the home page (and also making it easily accessible by simply pressing any key to start typing) is aligned with the philosophy of getting straight to what the user wants.
- The widgets would help address the repetitive search concern, presenting the search results in an organised & accessible manner, while also ticking the box of bypassing the search engine.
Success Metrics 📏
Arc has recently rolled out the Early Birds program, a Beta Testing strategy, which provides certain select users early access to features and changes. This would be the perfect platform for testing out the home page.
There are a bunch of metrics that should be taken into consideration to measure the success of the proposed home page, such as —
User Engagement —
- Page Views: Monitor the number of visits to the home page.
- Time Spent: Measure the average time users spend on the home page.
Adoption —
- Adoption Rate: Measure the percentage of users who actively use the home page feature.
Feature Usage —
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): Analyze how often users click on elements within the home page.
- Most Visited Sections: Identify popular sections or features accessed from the home page.
Performance —
- Load Time: Ensure the home page loads quickly to provide a smooth user experience.
- Stability: Monitor for any crashes or technical issues related to the new feature.
Social Media Metrics —
- Social Mentions: Track mentions, likes, and shares related to the home page feature on social media.
- Sentiment Analysis: Monitor sentiment expressed by users on social platforms.
Conclusion 🎬
This product-based case study was aimed to try and come up with a unifying baseline for Arc, and nudge it closer to becoming an OS for the web. I strongly believe that the home page proposed above would propel the browser in that direction.
I’ve been an avid user of Arc since the invite-only days, and witnessing its remarkable evolution has been truly inspiring. Throughout this journey, I’ve consistently contributed by providing bug reports and feedback on various features, and the most rewarding aspect is the attentiveness & responsiveness of the folks over at The Browser Company. Arc has now got a wonderful & a very closely knit community, and that is purely because this relationship between the users and the developers works in tandem both ways.
An instance of this was when The Browser Company put up a Credits page at the end of the invite-only days as a shoutout to all the users who helped beta-test the browser along the way.
Hopefully, Arc’s Home Page will someday see the light of day!
Feel free to share your thoughts on the proposed home page in the comments, or reach out to me on Twitter.
