Functional innovations are what, perhaps, the vast majority of software – and hardware, by the way – products are based on. If it were not for them, the user may become trite to use a boring service or device, and he will almost certainly go to competitors. Therefore, even a seemingly perfect product now and then receives all sorts of updates, the main purpose of which is banal retention of the target audience. Google Chrome is no exception in this sense. But how often Google is expanding its features gives the impression that it is very afraid of audience churn.
Chrome will get some new features, but not right away
Google has planned several new features for Google Chrome this year, which it will roll out over time. Some of them are only in the project, and some are already being tested, allowing access to them through the preliminary version of the application. You can download it from this link from Google Play, or install it as an APK file by downloading it from here.
NFC support in Chrome
NFC support is coming to Google Chrome soon. But why?
One of the browser innovations that can already be experienced in the beta version of Chrome 81 is NFC support. It would seem, why is this function needed at all? Indeed, over the years, manufacturers have taught us that this module is only good for that, so that through it to establish a connection with payment terminals and pay for purchases at the cash desks of stores using smartphones or smart watches. However, Google decided that support for NFC tags could be useful in order to quickly access any information. For example, scanning the tag of a museum piece will automatically take you to a website about its origins, history, and other important data.
Augmented reality in Chrome
Augmented reality coming to Chrome with Chrome 81 release
Despite the fact that Google has been working with augmented reality for a long time, its support in Chrome has so far been lacking. However, in the test version of the browser, this technology finally appeared. Google linked it with the Google Play Services for AR tool, giving users the opportunity to find an augmented reality compatible object on the Internet and try to evaluate it in 3D. Thus, it will probably be possible to find three-dimensional models of furniture and other utensils and try them on at home even before buying. After all, before ordering a washing machine or a sofa over the Internet, it was a good idea to check whether they would fit into that niche that you have long been unable to fill with anything.
Blocking downloads in Chrome
Chrome will start blocking downloads from untrusted sources
Google is concerned about our safety with you and tries to prevent users from downloading dangerous files from the Internet. Therefore, a special mechanism will appear in Chrome 81 that will first notify about the danger of downloading a particular component from an unprotected resource, and then, with the release of the next update, will begin to block their download. As a result, it is planned that over time, users will generally lose the ability to download any files from unprotected sources, be it videos, pictures or music.
Subtitles in Google Chrome
Pixel 4 subtitles feature coming to Chrome
Google is very fond of doing the mutual integration of several of its applications and services. So Google Assistant has a built-in translator, Gmail adds calendar support, and Google Maps adds a widget to control music playback from Google Play Music. However, Google has now planned to equip Chrome with Live Caption, which will automatically convert speech played by the browser to text. This feature first appeared on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL and is a great help for deaf and dumb users who can read non-subtitled video, music and movies in text format.