Google Chrome gets new versions quite often, so it should come as no surprise that in spite of the fact that Chrome 84 was released just a month ago, the beta version of Chrome 85 is already available for developers to go through and see what new features are going to be brought into the mix. The beta version of Chrome 85 might be an important milestone for the web browser, and a big part of the reason why that is the case has to do with the fact that there are two major changes that are coming which would prove to be crucial in deciding the trajectory for future Chrome versions.
The first major update that is coming has to do with support for 64-bit Android devices. It is important to note that there have been several very popular 64-bit devices that run Android for quite some time now, but in spite of the fact that this is the case Chrome has always been released solely for 32 bit users which can often cause problems for people that are using 64-bit Android. This problem will now be a thing of the past since Chrome 85 is bringing support for 64-bit Android as well, making this an important step forward for the web browser though many will wonder why it took this long to happen.
Hat Tip: Androidpolice
The second major change has to do with the omnibox. Research has indicated that when full URLs aren’t visible, phishing scams end up being less effective. As a result of the fact that this is the case, the beta for Chrome 85 will be experimenting with two options that would hide the full URL in the omnibox. One would only show the source URL such as www.google.com without the rest of the URL until you hover your mouse over the address bar, while the other option would hide the full URL until you move your mouse around on the webpage.
Read next: Google Chrome tests a ‘Read Later’ feature that would allow users to save and set tabs aside to be reviewed in the future
The first major update that is coming has to do with support for 64-bit Android devices. It is important to note that there have been several very popular 64-bit devices that run Android for quite some time now, but in spite of the fact that this is the case Chrome has always been released solely for 32 bit users which can often cause problems for people that are using 64-bit Android. This problem will now be a thing of the past since Chrome 85 is bringing support for 64-bit Android as well, making this an important step forward for the web browser though many will wonder why it took this long to happen.
Hat Tip: Androidpolice
The second major change has to do with the omnibox. Research has indicated that when full URLs aren’t visible, phishing scams end up being less effective. As a result of the fact that this is the case, the beta for Chrome 85 will be experimenting with two options that would hide the full URL in the omnibox. One would only show the source URL such as www.google.com without the rest of the URL until you hover your mouse over the address bar, while the other option would hide the full URL until you move your mouse around on the webpage.
Read next: Google Chrome tests a ‘Read Later’ feature that would allow users to save and set tabs aside to be reviewed in the future
