In addition to a Google Material Theme, the last update to Chrome OS introduced Night Light, dictation, Linux app support, and much more. Chrome OS 70 today thoroughly revamps the interface for touch Chromebooks and tablets. It also adds AV1 support and more HTTP warnings in addition to security and bug fixes.
The latest version of Chrome for Android is rolling out this evening following last month’s 10th anniversary update. Chrome 70 features privacy changes, more Google Material Theme tweaks, and a Downloads menu, in addition to other security fixes and bug patches.
Following last month’s Google Material Theme, smarter Omnibox, and various other tweaks, Google today is rolling out the next version of the browser to Mac, Windows, and Linux. While not as major a release, Chrome 70 includes more HTTP warnings, PWAs on Windows, and better Google Account sign-in status.
Chrome 66 in April introduced restrictions that prevent annoying videos with sound from autoplaying. However, these new policies came to the detriment of web games and other experiences, with Google in May partly delaying them. Once set to return with Chrome 70 this month, Google is again pushing back these policies.
Chrome Extensions are very useful, but are ripe for abuse given the utility and wide-ranging access. Google in the past year has taken steps to police extensions, but is today announcing more policies aimed at developers, as well as new options to give users more control.
Chrome 69 earlier this month introduced a Google Material Theme, smarter Omnibox, and a host of other new features for the browser’s 10th anniversary. In recent days, changes related to Account sign-in and clearing cookies were met with criticism. Google has now announced a handful of changes for Chrome 70 that should fix those issues.
AV1 is an open, industry-backed codec that will allow for more efficient and better quality video streaming. YouTube is beginning to test AV1 through an initial beta with Chrome 70 and Firefox Nightly on desktops now supporting it.
Earlier this month, Google celebrated Chrome’s 10th anniversary by introducing a Google Material Theme for the browser, making the Omnibar smarter, and introducing a slew of other useful features. Chrome 70 is now rolling out in beta with various new APIs that developers can take advantage of.
Chrome OS is gaining better native support for SMB file sharing, one of the most common Windows file server protocols.
Google has long been a big proponent of pushing HTTPS as seen with the .app top-level domain where security is default and in Search rankings. The biggest adoption drive has been through Chrome, with the browser soon marking all HTTP sites as “Not secure.”
When that fully rolls out, Google will begin phasing out the green “Secure” badge and lock icon as security becomes the default expectation.
The tentpole feature in Chrome 66 is a new set of autoplay restrictions aimed at reducing annoying videos that automatically start playing back. However, since it was released last month, the policies have negatively affected games and other web experiences. In response, Google today removed a part of the feature, delaying its launch until later this year.
