Google Chrome to Soon Block Autoplaying Videos With Sound

Google has rolled out the latest Chrome 66 beta update on Windows and Android. Available for download in the beta channel, Chrome 66 brings several new user-focused functions such as restriction on media auto playback and reduction in browser crashes on Windows, and adds features like Chrome Home Duplex and a new Modern Design tab on its Android app. Chrome 66 is said to arrive on the stable channel within the next few weeks.

Chrome 66 has been released as a developer-centric update. On Windows, Chrome 66 beta adds the ability to pause media autoplay with exceptions for when content is already muted, when users have previously clicked on the site, the site has been added to Home Screen on mobile, and when the user has frequently accessed media on the same website. Apart from that, the update also claims to reduce the number of browser crashes caused primarily by third-party programmes. Chrome version 66 will also display warnings in case a crash occurs, 9to5Google notes.

In terms of security, Chrome 66 for Windows has removed default trust setting for Symantec certificate after the company apparently failed to abide by industry standards.

Chrome 66 for Android, on the other hand, gets a new Chrome Home Duplex which replaces the Chrome Home bottom bar. It also includes a new bottom toolbar that will redirect to the New Tab page. A new Modern Design flag has also been added to the app that includes a rounded bar for URLs as well as for icons. For developers, a new AudioWorklet API has been added improve audio performance. There is also a new Asynchronous Clipboard API that improves the read and write functions on the clipboard.