It is a fork of the default browser for Android, taking its WebKit-based layout engine and providing what is intended to be an easier and more "touch friendly" user interface.

Both toolbars are only shown if "pulled out" by two semi-transparent handles at the top and bottom of the display, and after a short period of not being used will hide themselves again.

By contrast, the Android default browser at the time of release required the user to "Flip Orientation" in a menu or, on the T-Mobile G1, open the phone's keyboard.

Steel's first public release received a 3-star rating from AppVee, praising its user interface and accelerometer support but pointing out that it was not at its development stage an application to rely on fully.

[5] Shortly after the release of 0.0.3, which added multiple features including the virtual keyboard, on December 13, 2008,[6] Steel became the second most popular communication app in the Android Market, with an average rating of 4 (out of 5) stars from users.