Samsung is developing its own mobile browser to run on its Galaxy range of smartphones, according to reports.

Korean tech site The Electronic Times has cited an unnamed source in claiming that the tech giant will be going up against the likes of Google’s Chrome with its own browser developed using the WebKit software.

WebKit is an open source browser engine which is also used in Chrome and by Apple for its mobile Safari web-browsing app. Samsung has previously advertised for WebKit software engineers to work at its Silicon Valley development centre.

Going up against Chrome would be a brave move from the Korean manufacturer, with Google’s browser having an incredible range of functions which work especially well when coupled with its desktop counterpart. Released in February for Android and more recently for iOS, tabs and search histories can be shared across different devices easily, making Chrome an excellent tool for browsing.

However, in Britain the most popular mobile browsers are those that come as standard with BlackBerry devices, reflecting the popularity that RIM’s handsets still have amongst the UK public.

Native Android browsers are the third most popular, with many smartphone users seemingly happy to use whatever comes as standard with their handset.