Very interesting idea. I can definitely see the progression towards a more minimal browser that offloads functionality which used to be part of the browser into the page. However, I think we have reached a minimal point where browsers have already stripped down as far as they can.
Looking at a browser like Google Chrome basically all that is left is tabs, forward and back buttons, refresh button, search/url bar, HTTPS indicator, and right hand menu button.
We couldn't get rid of the back and forward buttons because while JavaScript navigation works inside the page, it doesn't work very well to go back from your site to the site that the user came from, because security is designed to prevent you from easily reading history.
Additionally the refresh button couldn't be replaced by an in page control because if the JavaScript in the page has an error and stops working the refresh also stops working, which would make people unable to refresh the page.
I wouldn't trust an HTTPS icon that was powered by JavaScript inside the page so that also has to be part of the chrome.
The only item on that list that could be removed is the right hand menu button. And since that does stuff like print, bookmark, and settings that also doesn't work as part of the webpage itself.
But who knows? Maybe I'm wrong and we'll find a way to strip the browser down even more, but I don't think that will happen until we develop voice, gesture, or thought controlled interface devices that are faster and more efficient than typing into a search bar or clicking a button. Then we can get rid of all the buttons and controls completely. But at that point the entire experience of browsing would be extremely different, not just the browser chrome.
Looking at a browser like Google Chrome basically all that is left is tabs, forward and back buttons, refresh button, search/url bar, HTTPS indicator, and right hand menu button.
We couldn't get rid of the back and forward buttons because while JavaScript navigation works inside the page, it doesn't work very well to go back from your site to the site that the user came from, because security is designed to prevent you from easily reading history.
Additionally the refresh button couldn't be replaced by an in page control because if the JavaScript in the page has an error and stops working the refresh also stops working, which would make people unable to refresh the page.
I wouldn't trust an HTTPS icon that was powered by JavaScript inside the page so that also has to be part of the chrome.
The only item on that list that could be removed is the right hand menu button. And since that does stuff like print, bookmark, and settings that also doesn't work as part of the webpage itself.
But who knows? Maybe I'm wrong and we'll find a way to strip the browser down even more, but I don't think that will happen until we develop voice, gesture, or thought controlled interface devices that are faster and more efficient than typing into a search bar or clicking a button. Then we can get rid of all the buttons and controls completely. But at that point the entire experience of browsing would be extremely different, not just the browser chrome.