After rolling out to Android, Mac, Windows, and Linux, version 76 of Chrome OS is now available. Notable features include Flash being blocked by default, a new single sign-on for Android apps, media controls, and much more.
Following the Mac, Windows, and Linux update this afternoon, Chrome 76 is now rolling out to Android. One of the biggest user-facing changes is a harder to detect Incognito Mode, while there are a number of features that web developers can take advantage of.
Google today is rolling out the latest version of Chrome for Mac, Windows, and Linux. Chrome 76 gets ready for the deprecation of Flash next year by blocking the plug-in by default, while Incognito Mode will be harder to detect.
Following version 75’s release on Android, Mac, Windows, and Linux last week, the next beta release of Google’s browser is rolling out. Chrome 76 features a number of user-facing changes including blocking Flash by default, and making it harder for sites to detect when you’re using Incognito Mode to get around paywalls.
One of the most common things we all do while using Chrome is switch from one tab to another. Google is testing an animation for the tab switcher that will make Chrome’s tab experience feel smoother and more seamless.
Thanks to EU law changes leading to consent banners on what feels like every website, public awareness of cookies on the web has probably never been higher. Google has introduced two experimental Chrome flags that should make cookies more secure for everyone by default, but could break older websites.
Slowly but surely, Chrome for Android’s New Tab Page has become one of Google’s many content discovery hubs, thanks to the “Articles for you” section. After a recent code change, the Chrome for Android New Tab Page can now include snippets from your suggested articles.
Back in 2017, Google announced its Advanced Protection program, designed to safeguard the Google Accounts of those who are “most at risk.” Google is now looking to expand the Advanced Protection program from just protecting individuals’ Google Accounts to protecting their web browsing with Chrome.
For a few months now, we’ve known that Google is bringing “Tab Groups” to Chrome, both on Desktop and Android. We’ve already seen how these tab groups will change our browsing on Android, but desktop has remained somewhat elusive. We now have our first real look at tab groups in Chrome OS and Chrome for desktop, thanks to a Googler’s screenshot.
With the Google Pixel Slate, Chrome OS took something of a step forward in camera quality, and in fact it was the first Chrome OS device to introduce Portrait mode photos. The feature has since been exclusive to the Pixel Slate, which uses its own custom app. According to a new code change, the stock Chrome OS Camera app will be getting Portrait mode and more very soon.
Almost two years ago, Adobe formally announced that Flash Player would cease to be developed and supported by the end 2020. Google immediately followed suit announcing that Flash would slowly be phased out of Chrome as 2020 approached. The next step of the deprecation process is approaching in July, as Chrome will fully disable Flash for all sites and warn users of Flash Player’s impending demise in a “loud” way.
As many websites make their money from tracking and advertising, especially advertising targeted to individuals based on their web activity, Google Chrome’s Incognito Mode can help give users a sense of privacy by temporarily disconnecting from their Google, Facebook, and Amazon accounts. For those who use Incognito this way, you may be shocked to know that Chrome has long had a flaw that can be abused by web developers to detect whether you’re using Incognito Mode. According to a set of new code changes, Google is finally looking to fix this issue.
