After the release of version 87 on Android, Mac, Windows and Linux, the next release of the Google browser is being launched. Chrome 88 kicks off the new year with a flurry of changes.
After changing a site’s credentials, Google prompts you to update your password the next time you type it. Chrome is now allowing users to manually “Edit password”From the central list in chrome: // settings / passwords. Available in the floating menu, this feature is being released with Chrome 88 on desktops and iOS – Android is coming “soon”. If it is still not available after updating the browser, you can manually enable this feature with a flag:
chrome: // flags / # edit-passwords-in-settings
Likewise, this page now allows you to generate a list of accounts with weak credentials, by tapping “Check passwords. “Google also says that Chrome’s security check feature, which identifies breaches, is used 14 million times a week, and that there’s a“ 37% reduction in compromised credentials stored ”in the browser.
Chrome 88 is gradually rolling out a new Chip UI to grant site permissions. It will be less intrusive by residing in the address bar with an accompanying icon. Since it is not in the content area, users do not need to close the prompt before they can browse that page. In the example below, touch “Use your location?” opens the “Allow” / ”Block” pop-up.
Version 88 will stop supporting Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite, with Chrome requiring 10.11+ to move forward.
When Chrome is Screen sharing, notifications will not appear until the session ends or manual approval.
In November, Chrome 87 saw significant speed improvements and longer battery life, limiting the timers on the background guides to once per minute. This change is available to all users in this version.
Last year, Google tested only the display of the registrable domain on the omnibox to combat how many long URLs that include the correct page name are often used to trick people into thinking they are on the desired / trusted site. For some Chrome 88 users, the the address bar will show only one domain instead of the full URL. Google is planning a full release of this change in a future version. This truncation can be disabled by right clicking on the address bar and selecting “Always show full URLs”.
Before:
https://9to5google.com/2021/01/18/chrome-88-mac-windows-stable
After:
9to5google.com
Chrome seeks to protect users against web forms that upload over HTTPS, but send content using HTTP. Version 88, after a delay, shows an interstitial warning after users submit to pause the action until they click “Submit anyway”.
Chrome 88 will block download from macOS, Windows, Linux and Chrome OS users unsafe image, audio, video and text formats (such as .png and .mp3) over HTTP on an HTTPS page. This one “[file] cannot be safely downloaded ”message is found in the downloads bar.
Developers can start submitting Manifest extensions V3 for the Chrome Web Store like Chrome 88 now supports the latest format revision. This new platform is designed to be more secure, privacy-conscious and to improve performance. For more information on the changes, read our explainer from last month.
Google is testing the ability of PWAs to sell digital products and subscriptions through Play Billing as part of the new Digital goods API. Origin testing is starting on Android before expanding to Chrome OS in the next version. Chrome is also testing the ability of websites to detect when users are idle. A messaging app, for example, can use this to determine if you are absent / not active on your computer and to direct notifications to a phone.
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