Google is rolling out an update that brings new features to the iOS version of its Chrome web browser. Here is a roundup of what’s new.
The Google Chrome browser for iOS is getting a handful of new features that not only improve the user experience but also protect users. Unlike Apple’s Safari browser, which is limited to iOS and macOS devices, the Chrome browser is available on various operating systems and not just Google’s operating system (Android and Chrome OS). This has not always been the case for those who don’t know.
Safari used to be available for Windows for years, starting in 2007 with version 3.0. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for Apple to make it an exclusive for its products. The last version of the web browser released for Windows was Safari 5.1, released in 2010. With the plethora of browsers out there, including privacy-focused ones, folks are sure to find a browser that suits their needs.
To improve the user experience, Google has announced new features for the Chrome iOS app. First among these features is ‘Enhanced Safe Browsing.’ The feature protects users from phishing attacks, malware and other threats when activated under the ‘Safety check’ menu in the app’s settings menu. Google says it can predict and provide an early warning if they are dangerous. It does this by sending info about the site to ‘Google Safe Browsing’ to be checked. In addition, users will get a warning if their login credentials have been compromised in a data breach.
Sites Will Translate Faster
Another feature of the update is the ability to set Google Password Manager as the Autofill provider, so Chrome can help create, store and fill in passwords on sites or apps on a user’s iPhone or iPad. Furthermore, the browser’s homepage has been redesigned and will now show icons for bookmarks, reading lists, recent tabs and history. This makes it easier to pick up where one left off or start a new search. Google says this change will also be available for Android users soon. Finally, users should also notice web pages get translated faster to their preferred language.
Google says it is launching an updated language identification model that can accurately figure out the language of a site being visited and translate it if necessary. The translation will be carried out using on-device machine learning. Finally, users can carry out simple actions by typing them into the address bar. For example, typing “Clear Browsing Data,” “Open Incognito Tab,” or “Set Chrome as Default Browser” into the address bar will carry out these actions, saving users time that they would have spent digging into the app’s settings. Google calls this ‘Chrome Actions,’ and it is also available on Android. All of these new features will be available with the next release of Chrome on iOS and more are planned to arrive in the coming weeks.
