Google Chrome v90 was announced last month, when it was revealed that even without specification, Chrome would automatically load sites with the more secure https prefix.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Chrome v90 will automatically load sites on https to enforce better browsing safety
- The update has also added AV1 codec support, which can improve video conferencing
- Chrome v90 also includes the zero-day patch unveiled at Pwn2Own
Google Chrome v90 update is now hitting Android devices and desktop platforms, and brings a key change that was revealed last year. According to the update, it finally makes a push for more secure browsing that would use the https protocol wherever necessary. In simpler terms, https is the standard that all secure browsing advocates recommend at the very least, and while it does not make a website completely secure from hackers, it does improve the authenticity of sites, given that it has to follow a certain set of standards. The full changelog of the update has been detailed by Google on its official blog.
Google states about the update that along with improving privacy and security of browsing, Chrome v90 will also improve website load speeds for those that support it. In other words, Google is indirectly penalising sites that still haven’t switched from http to https, which sounds about right. The latter has become the default for any legitimate website, and there are no real reasons as to why any site with legit intentions would not make the switch.
Google further states that Chrome v90 would also come with the AV1 encoder built in. The latter is a 4K video codec, and Google states that integrating its support would mean better video conferencing compatibility on Chrome v90 for meetings that you attend without aiming to download the conferencing app. The AV1 support on Chrome v90 will also apparently improve video conferencing on slow networks, and improve the performance of screen sharing during meetings attended on the browser.
Finally, the Chrome v90 update also brings the zero-day patch that was highlighted at the recent Pwn2Own hacking competition. On overall terms, this makes Chrome v90 an update that you must install at the earliest. Browsing on https is one of the lowest level criteria that users must have keeping today’s cyber crime climate in mind – the standard ensures that the compatible site has an SSL validation certificate signed by an authenticator. It also requires domain validation before loading, and even includes a basic layer of encryption – therefore making browsing far more secure than what http is capable of.
