The next version of Chrome confirms Google is fully committed to the notch

by Adrian Diaconescu / Aug 09, 2018, 5:14 AM

The next version of Chrome confirms Google is fully committed to the notch

Google doesn’t like to poke fun at Apple as often and brazenly as Samsung, but some of you may remember how the iPhone 7’s headphone jack removal was called out during the original Pixel handset’s launch event back in 2016 only for last year’s Pixel 2 to follow suit.

Similarly, Android 9 Pie has added official notch support for all the iPhone X-inspired Huaweis, LGs, Nokias, and Xiaomis out there, as well as the upcoming Pixel 3 XL. Further proving its commitment to fully embracing increasingly popular smartphone screen cutouts, Google is also preparing an important Chrome update.

The browser recently reached its 68th version with new features including a “Not Secure” label for HTTP websites, while build 69 has already started beta testing. If nothing goes seriously wrong, Chrome 69 should be rolled out to the masses as early as next month with a better use of screen real estate for “modern” smartphones.

The aim is to show web content all around the notch rather than display a large empty space to the right and left of the cutout typically accommodating a phone’s front-facing camera and various sensors. Developers will have plenty of time to optimize their sites for the new functionality, although you probably shouldn’t expect perfection straight off the bat.

At the other end of the mobile device spectrum, entry-level Android Go devices will soon gain the ability to play audio and video directly in their pre-installed Chrome browser. Since most of these ultra-affordable phones come with extremely limited storage space, opening music and movies in Chrome will save them the hassle of downloading standalone apps for that specific purpose.

A redesigned mobile download manager and Picture-in-Picture capabilities for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome OS computers are also in the pipeline, along with the already announced removal of the “Secure” flag for HTTPS websites. From now on, everything that’s not explicitly marked otherwise is safe to navigate.

source: Android Police

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7 Comments

1. TMHKR

Posts: 202; Member since: Dec 08, 2012

So, when do we wage war against the Republic of Notchesia?

posted on Aug 09, 2018, 5:16 AM 10

2. BLUEBLASTER

Posts: 945; Member since: Feb 23, 2014

We already have. We are boycotting the Pixel 3XL cause it looks ugly.

posted on Aug 09, 2018, 5:41 AM 10

3. DolmioMan

Posts: 346; Member since: Jan 08, 2018

Ass opposed to the stunningly beautiful pixel/pixel XL and pixel 2/ pixel 2xl....rrrrrright.

posted on Aug 09, 2018, 5:58 AM 1

4. JMartin22

Posts: 2388; Member since: Apr 30, 2013

It looks disgustingly shameless. But who knows, maybe they’ve been thinking of this hardware/software conjunction design concurrently while the iPhone X was still in the development phases. I just hate that this trend is taking off as a bandaid to achieve higher screen-to-body ratios at the expense of multimedia viewing. Even hiding the notch on OLEDs is going to cause burn in This reminds me of the race to the thinnest phone no one was asking for, that manufactures were on a trend for a long time. The screen to body ratios don’t have to be 88-to-near 100 percent if this is the compromise. I’m glad Samsung, one of the biggest players, is subverting this dumb trend

posted on Aug 09, 2018, 7:28 AM 2

6. phonearenarocks

Posts: 607; Member since: Mar 26, 2015

Google isnt shameless but is in support of the Chinese OEMs like Oppo, Vivo, Huawei, Lenovo, Oneplus who embrace it -> mimicking iPhone is their selling point. Google will be benefitted in two ways here. -> Sales of Samsung will be reduced. It doesnt want a monopoly on its child, Android, Does it? -> To some extent, lot of ignorant people will surely buy these Chinese phones over iPhones - For offering a phone with similar aesthetics for much lesser price So, in effect -> 1 shot, 2 birds! Woah!!!

posted on Aug 09, 2018, 9:01 AM 0

5. MarvzIsFallen

Posts: 646; Member since: Aug 11, 2017

Didn’t android fans thought that iphone notch is ugly? Then why they’re copying it, trying so hard that makes it really bad aesthetic to a phone. Or maybe because, they X was successful since it was one of the best selling iphone since launch.