Google releases Chrome 34 for Android and desktop, also updates Chrome OS

Google has announced the release of the latest versions of the Chrome browser and the Chrome OS operating system. While the new browser will roll out for Android, Windows, Mac and Linux based systems, the Chrome OS version 34 will be the latest upgrade for all Chrome OS devices. According to posts on the Google Chrome releases blog, the latest version of the browser is officially known as Chrome 34.0.01847.116.

The Google Chrome browser changelog details the new browser will have more responsive images and unprefixed web audio, which basically means that the images and audio on the web will load faster, which eventually leads to stopping the wastage of bandwidth. In addition it will import supervised users onto new computers. This was initially seen as a beta feature on Chrome 32. In order to do so a user needs to click the Chrome menu, on the toolbar, select Settings, and select the 'Add new user' option. Then one needs to 'Import an existing supervised user', select the user and then click on the 'Import supervised user.' to complete the settings.

In addition, the Chrome browser changelog also detail a number of new apps and extension APIs, a new look for Windows 8 Metro mode, and a total of 31 security fixes for which Google has paid $29,500 at least in bug bounties for the release. It will also include the ability to remember and fill passwords fields, even when the autocomplete feature is turned off. This is being done to 'encourage the use of Chrome password manager' according to Daniel Xie, the author of the post. In addition users can download the new Google Chrome version directly from the site.

Google also introduced the 'srcset' attribute for web developers to provide multiple resources in varying resolutions for a single image to improve page loading time and reduce bandwidth wastage. Support for responsive images means the browser will pick the resource that will match the capabilities of the device being used and optimise it such that there is no wastage of bandwidth and that the webpage loads faster irrespective of the device, be it a desktop, laptop, tablet, phone or TV.

The latest version of the Chrome OS was also released, and was detailed in a post on the Google Chrome Releases blog  by Matthew Yuan. The update brings Chrome OS to version x34.0.1847.118. It includes bug fixes, security updates and feature enhancements, according to him. Chrome devices will receive the update automatically. The change logs here detail a new side dock, which allows users to dock small windows and panels to screen edges. In addition, Yuan wrote that Google Drive offline backup is turned on by default after the first login. Sticky keys allow users to perform keyboard and keyboard + mouse shortcuts by pressing the keys in a sequence instead of simultaneously. "The onscreen keyboard will allow users to type and use device features (top row) with a pointing device," Yuan writes.

Chrome for Android also has received the browser update to version 34. The new version is being distributed through the Google Play store. It has features like search and navigate in the same box, faster browsing with accelerated page zooming loading, scrolling. Users can switch between tabs quickly and it has an intuitive, simple experience. It also allows users to browse privately in the Incognito mode. It also contains crash fixes and performance improvements along with battery usage optimisation. Chrome for iOS however, has not yet received an update and is still on version 33.

Lastly, an update has also been released for Chromecast TV dongle devices. On the Google Chrome Releases blog from 8 April, Roshan Baliga writes that update contains bug fixes and stability improvements and also improved IPv6 support and improved Domain Name System (DNS). More information about it can be found on the Chromecast site.