Chrome 60 beta for Android brings new search widget, lots of API improvements

The newest stable version of Chrome for Android dropped in the Google Play last week, so it makes sense for Google to start working on the next iteration.

Chrome 60 is now available for download in the beta channel and brings lots of new features and improvements into the mix. The most important seems to be the addition of a new search widget that includes a shortcut allowing users to search Chrome using their voice.

Google has also improved the way the browser loads fonts on different websites. Usually, Chrome delays rendering text until the used font is available, which means that until the browser doesn't download it, you will have to wait for the webpage to load. Chrome 60 beta supports the CSS font-face descriptor, which allows users to specify how and when Chrome displays text content while downloading fonts.

The new beta version of Chrome includes new payment and password APIs, which makes the browser more secure and faster than ever. For example, sites can now collect payments via native Android payment apps using the new Payment Request API.

Many other improvements have been added under the hood, so make sure to check the full changelog below. Also, you can try out Chrome 60 beta for free via Google Play.