Google Chrome releases version 81 which brings with it some news for developers and users. Here are what they are
A few weeks late, naturally due to the Covid-19 epidemic, Google released version 81 of Chrome. There is interesting news, but some changes have been moved to the next stable version. That will not be the 82, as announced in recent days, but directly the 83.
Without prejudice to the updates related to security, which are important but do not change the lives of users, in substance with the 81 version of Chrome comes some interesting news for developers, but only one really useful for users. It is clear that Google has done what it could, given the global health emergency that has also had an impact on the big names on the Web. But it is also equally clear that those who expected big news from this update will be disappointed. Here is what has changed with Chrome 81 and what, however, has been postponed at least to version 83.
Chrome 81: what’s new
The user’s Chrome 81 now has a new method for notifications sent by websites. Technically called ” App Icon badging ” and is a feature previously introduced for testing and now become stable. So now all sites will be able to use icons to signal users that there are notifications, instead of sending them the classic pop-up message that everyone closes. Instead, the ” Web NFC ” enters the test, ie the reading of the NFC tags via browser or web app. It can be used, for example, by museum structures or in inventory management in the warehouse. WebXR APIs for augmented reality are also being tested.
Chrome 81: the innovations that are not there
The first disappointment for those who have just updated Chrome 81 is that the browser continues to be very heavy and cause, on laptops, the continuous activation of the fans. Then there are some features that have been postponed, such as the farewell to the support of the TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1 encryption protocols, now old and unsafe (dating back to 1999 and 2006 respectively). We can probably say goodbye to him only with Chrome 84. The new icons for Chrome and Chromium browsers, such as Microsoft Edge, should arrive with Chrome 83.
Chrome 82: the version that is not there
Finally, Google has confirmed again that a version 82 of Chrome will never arrive because it has been cancelled: “ We did it because it is important to ensure that Chrome continues to be stable, safe and reliable for anyone who depends on it. In short, Chrome 81 is available now. We will skip Chrome 82 and move directly to Chrome 83, which will be released 3 weeks ahead of schedule, in mid-May. ”
How to update Chrome to version 81
The new version of Chrome is still in the process of being released and before it arrives to all users it will be necessary to wait a few more days or weeks. To check if the update is available, press the icon with three vertical dots, select “Help” and then click on ” About Google Chrome “. A browser window will open and if an update is available it will be downloaded automatically. To install it you need to restart the Chrome.
