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The latest Version 35 of Google’s Chrome Web browser has been moved to the stable release channel and is being distributed automatically as an update to users’ computers. Also moving to stable Version 35 releases and moving out in automatic updates are Google’s Chrome OS and Chrome for Android products.
The updates were announced in a flurry of May 20 posts on the Google Chrome Releases Blog.
The biggest update is marked by the Chrome 35 browser, which received a wide range of fixes and improvements for users on Windows, Mac and Linux machines, according to a post by Karen Grünberg of the Chrome team. The latest release, Chrome Version 35.0.1916.114, includes more developer control over touch input, new JavaScript features, unprefixed Shadow DOM, several new apps and extension APIs, as well as many changes aimed at improving stability and performance, wrote Grünberg. Also included in Chrome Version 35 are 23 security fixes.
The new stable Version 35 of Chrome OS, which was announced in a post by Dharani Govindan of the Chrome team, is available for all Chrome OS devices, except for Asus Chromeboxes and Samsung Series 3 Chromeboxes. The latest Chrome OS contains bug fixes, security updates and feature enhancements and will be rolled out to devices over the next several days, wrote Govindan. Included in the changes are first-time support for folders in the Chrome OS Launcher so users can organize their apps exactly as they desire; updated window controls based on the user feedback of users; and the availability of Hotwording (or “Ok Google”) on the New Tab Page and Google.com for English (U.S.) users.
Chrome for Android users are now seeing the latest Version 35 of Chrome for Android roll out for their devices, including several new features such as Undo Tab Close, full-screen video with subtitles and HTML5 controls and support for some multiwindow devices, according to a post by Jason Kersey of the Chrome team.
With the latest Chrome for Android stable release, the Chrome team has also launched the latest Chrome Beta for Android release, which is designated as Version 35.0.1916.117, according to a another post by Kersey.
The latest Dev Channel update for the Chrome Web browser is now available with Version 36.0.1985.18 for Mac, Linux and Windows while the latest beta channel update for Chrome OS has been updated to 35.0.1916.116 for all Chrome OS devices.
Google releases new experimental beta and development channels of future software releases so that they can be built, tested and updated before eventual distribution as stable release versions.
Earlier in May, Google announced that its Chrome team has been experimenting with improved URLs for future Chrome versions that could provide better protection for users against phishing attacks that trick them into visiting malicious Websites. Instead of long URLs that are confusing and hard to identify as genuine, shorter origin-chip URLs would mean that phishers couldn’t create offshoot URLs that could deceive users into visiting their sites.
The experiments involving the origin chip today don’t mean that the feature will eventually be included in Chrome browsers of the future. Instead, the testing is allowing developers to see if it is something that they would want to incorporate if the testing shows promise.
Google’s previous Chrome 34 Web browser was released April 8.
In September 2013, the Chrome browser celebrated its fifth birthday. Launched in 2008 as a desktop or laptop application, Chrome today is widely used as a mobile Web browser on many different devices.
Chrome has had quite a ride since its birth. In June 2012, it surpassed Microsoft’s Internet Explorer as the world’s most used browser for the first time and it has added many useful features over the years to encourage even more users to adopt it.