Google Chrome 109: What’s new
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It seems like Google just celebrated the big Chrome 100 milestone release, but the company is already about to crack the first decimal, with Chrome 109 now launching in stable. It doesn’t have too many big changes in tow, but it is one of the more notable releases in recent memory. you could look forward to moreMaterial Youprogress coming to yourfavorite Android phoneand some new developer options.
Chrome 109: Secure payment confirmation
As Google announced on theChrome developer blog, the company is experimenting with a new proposed web standard. The so-called Secure Payment Confirmation (SPC) makes it possible to authenticate yourself with your biometric screen unlock when you want to make a purchase. If supported by your bank or credit card provider, this could allow you to skip the usual confirmation process that you need to go through to make clear it’s really you making this purchase, and not someone with their hands on your card details.
The system needs to be supported by both banks and merchants, so it might take quite some time until we see it in action. If you’re with a small credit union, you might never get to enjoy this, so don’t hold your breath just yet. SPC is already available on macOS and Windows, and it’s only now coming to Android as part of Chrome version 109.
Chrome 109: Screen-sharing improvements for video conferencing
Sharing your screen during a video conference can be daunting. You first need to clean up your desktop to make it look like you don’t have 10,000 files just sitting there, and even then you could have some private details on your screen that you would not like call participants to see. That’s where the Screen Capture API comes in, which Google describes as an option to “let the user select a screen or portion of a screen (such as a window) to capture as a media stream.” With this release, the company is further improving this API, which is supposed to make it even easier for you to make use of it and preserve your privacy.
Google describesa new Conditional Focus option that makes it possible for developers to decide whether or not windows shared with an audience should be focused as soon as they’re selected for sharing. Alternatively, web developers can ask to keep the capturing page in focus. There is also the option to suppress local audio playback. This will make it easier to share your screen while you’re gathered in a room with colleagues who are in the same video conference as you, as it avoids possible audio interference. Developers will be able to prompt you to make a decision how you want to deal with your audio output in these cases.
Chrome 109: Preparing for a world without third-party cookies
The browser industry is preparing for a life without third-party cookies. This is great news for privacy, because it will limit how well advertising cookies can track you across the web. However, the change might also change or break how websites currently interact with each other, like the Disqus comment system here on Android Police, which relies on a third-party cookie to keep you logged in.
Google wants to work around some of these problems with First-Party Sets, an updated version of which is now coming to Chrome, asannounced on the Chrome developer blog. The company has updated a proposal that will make it possible for related sites to share the same data. Here, sites need to make clear to the browser that they belong to each other, like when they consist of the same organization with different top-level domains or addresses (think google.com, google.co.uk, and more). These set members will then be able to share some data among each other and request cookie access from others. For the browser to know which sites belong together, Google will use a publicly hosted Github repository that web developers will be able to submit to.
Chrome 109: Material You tweaks
Google already started a lot of work on more Material You and Material Design 3 elements in Chrome 108. As far as we can tell, these additions still aren’t live by default and have to be accessed via flags for now. If you would like to see arefreshed look for the address box suggestions, you need to activate thechrome://flags/#omnibox-modernize-visual-updateflag.
On desktop systems like macOS and Windows, it’s possible to also get a glimpse at Material You theming when you enable thechrome://flags/#customize-chrome-color-extractionflag. This makes the interface automatically switch colors based on the background image you chose for your new tab page.
Chrome 109: Desktop interface tweaks
On the desktop version of Chrome, there is also a tweak to download warnings. When Chrome detects malware, it will now give you a more detailed description of what exactly the malware does. This is meant to serve as a more specific warning. Google gives the example of Chrome spotting a download that is meant to steal user information and telling you that “This file contains malware that can compromise your personal or social network accounts.” On top of that, Chrome will automatically unpack 7z archive files locally and scan them for malware, just like it does for many other file types already.
With Chrome 109, Google is additionally testing a new shortcut for the new tab page. Some people will find a Google Lens shortcut that allows them to drag-and-drop an image from their computer or by entering an image URL. It will only show up on Google’s new tab page; it won’t be part of Incognito Mode or the Guest User.
The address bar is also seeing minor changes. When you tweak a permission, like allowing websites to send you notifications or use your location, a new confirmation dialog will show up in the address bar. For four seconds, it will show and confirm the action you’ve just made using icons and text, like a crossed-out bell icon and a “Not allowed” tag to confirm that you’ve disallowed notifications.
In that same menu, Google Chrome added a shortcut to more details about the site you’re currently visiting. In the past, the feature was called “From the web,” which doesn’t quite tell you what you’re able to expect when you click it. Google has renamed this to “About this page,” making it clearer that you can learn more about the website you’re currently visiting.
Chrome 109: Tab group syncing
One reason why Chrome got so popular so quickly is that is (optionally) saves all your relevant data in the cloud, making it possible to seamlessly switch between machines as you go while browsing. This isn’t the case for your tab groups, though, which for some have become a viable alternative to bookmarks, at least when for short-term storage. Chrome 109 wants to change that andis experimenting with an option to sync your tab groupsacross devices. The feature is currently hidden behind thechrome://flags/#tab-groups-saveflag, though, which you need to set toEnabled with sync integrationto give it a try. It’s possible that there are some server-side dependencies that aren’t active just yet, though.
Chrome 109: Download and install
If you’ve already installed Chrome, Chrome 109 will roll out to you on your device soon, no matter what platform you’re on. You can check the Play Store for updates on your phone or head toSettings -> About Chromeon your desktop to initiate the update process. Chrome 109 is also available onAPK Mirror.
Google shows off a small omnibox facelift
The note-taking app I should have used all along
It’s time to sniff out the culprit
A hefty discount makes this a no-brainer
It helped me wind down before bed
Not yet, anyway
