According to data released by web analytics company StatCounter, in the past 12 months mobile access to the internet rose to 8.5%.  StatCounter’s data also reflects that in North America, the top mobile browser was Android at 37%, followed by Safari on the iPhone at 34%, plus 10% for Safari on the iPod Touch, while the Blackberry browser shrank to about 7.5%, and Nokia at only 2%.

And Google wants to maintain that lead.  Google’s Chrome browser has been catching up to Mozilla’s Firefox on PCs and they want to translate that success in the mobile realm; thus the launch of Chrome for Android.

Chrome for Android Beta is now available for download in the Android Market for free, but it’s only for devices running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, because of the browser’s dependency on hardware acceleration, which earlier versions of Android don’t support.  Google states that they focused on creating a seamless, personalized experience that users can enjoy anywhere, even on different devices.

Fast and Simple Mobile Browsing

With Chrome for Android, users can search, navigate and browse with Chrome, fast.  Search and navigation can be done in the omnibox, making things as simple as possible.  Justt like Chrome on the desktop, there are tabs, Link Preview, and for the pervs, the incognito mode is also available.  ;)

Personalized Experience

Signing in to Chrome for Android opens up a different browsing experience as it becomes personal.  By signing in, you can:

• View open tabs: Access the tabs you left open on your computer (also signed into Chrome)—picking up exactly where you left off.
• Get smarter suggestions: If you visit a site often on your computer, you’ll also get an autocomplete suggestion for it on your mobile device, so you can spend less time typing.
• Sync bookmarks: Conveniently access your favorite sites no matter where you are or which device you’re using.

Watch IntoMobile’s video of the Chrome for Android Beta demo below.

Though Chrome for Android was just released yesterday, critics are already gnawing on it. Some users are happy with the auto-fill feature because it makes things easier, while some are concerned it can be a security risk.  Most are delighted with the sync feature, as it also syncs open tabs, but some are concerned with privacy.  And of course, they look for things that aren’t there, like the bookmarks, Flash support and support for plug-ins. Some people are just insatiable.

Mobile Browsing Gains Traction

As for other mobile browser news, Dolphin Browser recently added Evernote, the suite of software and services designed for notetaking and archiving, and Skitch, the Evernote-owned screenshot editing and sharing utility, to their offerings.

And Opera Mobile was recently updated to address compatibility issues for ICS and Honeycomb devices but new features are expected to arrive when the Opera 12 is released which can happen anytime soon.