Just noticed that chrome allows the filter css3 property to be exercised on street view.
I assume this will be adopted by the other platforms too? But I'm not a particularly educated programmer, so I don't know the likelihood!
It's a good thing Chrome is moving to Blink, then.
On a more serious note, I don't think the fact that it's webkit has anything to do with his decision to go Chrome-only. Might be some new HTML5 spec Chrome implemented first.