Chrome Update, Data Compression And Web Shortcuts for Android

by Bogdan - Eduard Huma · Published January 17, 2014 · Updated February 22, 2014

There are constant updates that the Android is receiving at a certain point. Now we are talking about some important updates that concerns the Chrome for all Android devices, updates involving the Chrome 32, which will be rolling out in the following days, maybe a a couple of weeks. One of the most important characteristic for all Android mobile users will be the revealing of the “Reduce data usage”, an option found in the Chrome Beta for several months now. The option plays an important part as it routes all the traffic through the Google`s servers – unless there is a heavy SSL usage on the page or you are in incognito mode – compressing the pages right just before they head towards your device. With this in mind, Google considered that the option might “reduce your data usage by up to 50%”.

Another important feature, apart from the data being routed through Google`s servers when the option is in ON mode, is the “Safe Browsing” that is particularly featured to detect any harming pages and to contact you when you have it on your device, just like you are operating on a desktop with an antivirus being in ON mode. The particular feature must also be enabled in order to properly work.

Chrome Update, Data Compression and Web Shortcuts for Android

Other particularities can be found in the Android users `s capabilities of adding shortcuts to their homescreen just directly from the overflow menu. In case the site has a meta tag in its header, like a mobile-web-app-capable, the shortcut will open, for instance a fullscreen Chrome without involving any tabs or perhaps menus that acts like “its own Android app” being separate from the Chrome browser.

As our source also states, Chrome 32 also sustains a Vibration API support that allows developers to use the hardware feedback for any interactive web content or games.

The Chrome updates will be rolled out for Android in a few days now on the Google Play Store. Don’t forget to share your experience with us in case you get it before we do. Cheers!