Google Chrome 89 is here, and it's rolling out to users today. With it comes a variety of user-facing augments that users might want to take note of, especially for Android phone users or those that share computers with others.
The list of improvements is wide, and includes everything from Tab Search to optimized controller support. Below is a list of the most important features now available.
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Tab Search, which initially made its debut back in December with Chrome OS, is now available to all users. The feature lets you compile a list of pages across all windows, with up to five displayed at a time. You can also close tabs from this view as well. This is certainly a helpful way to keep dozens of tabs from overtaking your browser. Especially if you’re the type of person that can’t help but keep tabs open.
Chrome 89 also adds a reading list that can be viewed by clicking the star icon. It’s now placed where you'd normally see the bookmark options. There, you'll see a new "add to reading list" option that lets you add to a specific folder in the Bookmarks location. Sort by items you've read and those you still want to, and delete when finished. The quick view lets you easily discern which pages you're still interested in reading.
There’s also the Phone Hub for those with Android devices. If you use Chrome regularly and have an Android phone, you can manually enable the Phone Hub through a Chrome flag with Chrome 89's debut. Basically, you can link your phone with Chrome to see notifications, recent tabs, and other pertinent mobile information from your computer.
The update also brings about default support for WebHID, an API that helps make some controllers, like keyboards and gamepads, work more smoothly with Chrome. Items that require additional, more complex logic types, can now see significant improvement across Chrome 89 users. It eliminates the need to enable the process for a more seamless transition.
Of course, with all the new additions to Chrome 89, this brings a few removals as well. Chrome will no longer support older x86 processors. To continue supporting Chrome 89, devices will be required to meet Supplemental Streaming SIMD Extensions 3 (SSE3) at the very least, which should cover devices made after 2005.
