Chrome 91 Update Rolling Out for Mobile, Desktop Browsers

Chrome 91 stable update has been released by Google for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems. The update will be rolled out over the coming weeks. Chrome 91 is getting a host of features for Android. It will also allow Android tablets to host desktop websites. The new features allow inactive tab groups to be frozen. Alongside, Progressive Web Apps can automatically start, refreshed UI on Android, updated table renders on webpages, and more. Chrome 91 for desktop is getting 32 bug fixes and improvements.

The Chrome 91 update brings a host of new features for Chrome on Android smartphones and tablets, as well as some bug fixes and improvements for Chrome on Linux, macOS, and Windows. The Chrome 91.0.4472.77 update for the Android app was first spotted by 9to5Google. The Chrome Releases blog mentions that Chrome 91.0.4472.77 is receiving 32 bug fixes and improvements.

For Chrome 91 on Android, Google will now freeze inactive tab groups. However, certain tabs that have unavoidable background processes running like creating or playing back media will be exempted. Google will also allow Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) to start automatically when users log into their OS/ Account. Additionally, users can manually configure them using chrome://apps page.

On Android tablets, if the screen size permits, Chrome will now load desktop websites instead of mobile websites. With Chrome 91, the browser on Android will follow suit with its desktop counterparts and get redesigned checkboxes, text fields, buttons, select menus, and other form controls. It helps the interface become more accessible to users by increasing the touch area for scroll bars and buttons. Table renders on webpages have also been updated with Chrome 91. More details about this particular feature are available on this document by Google.

For Chrome on iOS, the browser will warn users if they enter their passwords on known phishing websites. It also has Enhanced Safe Browsing that will send referrers of suspicious websites to Google. If existing safety checks are inconclusive, users can send downloads to Google for deeper scanning.

Users will also be surveyed if they visit the Privacy Sandbox through chrome://settings/privacySandbox on the Chrome browser. Linux's Chrome 91 now has DNS over HTTPS a year after it was introduced on other platforms. Chrome will also be able to passwords saved to webpages that are associated with the Digital Asset Links (DALs).

In an attempt to prevent fingerprinting, many networks objects will be partitioned using topmost frame domain and iframe domain. More details have been provided by Google. Also, in Chrome 91 different origin iframes will be prevented from triggering Javascript dialogues to further prevent users from believing that embedded content originates from the current webpage or the browser.

Lastly, Google will start supporting the CECPQ2 post-quantum key-agreement mechanism in TLS. This will occur while communicating with certain domains and comes at a time when quantum computers can break encryption in the future.