SAN FRANCISCO >> Google’s Chrome browser can now be used to surf the Web on the iPhone and iPad.

The Chrome application released Thursday is the latest volley in the escalating rivalry between Google and Apple, the maker of the popular mobile devices.

Google’s attempt to supplant Apple Inc.’s own Safari browser comes a day after it unveiled its plans to sell a low-priced tablet computer to compete against the iPad and Amazon.com Inc.’s Kindle Fire.

The arrival of Chrome on Apple’s mobile operating system comes a month after Yahoo Inc. released a browser called Axis for the iPhone and iPad.

Chrome, though, is already dueling with Microsoft Corp.’s Internet Explorer for the bragging rights as the world’s most popular browser.

Google Inc. revealed Thursday that Chrome now has 310 million active users.