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Google Chrome 89 brings integration between Android phones and Chrome OS, better support for gamepads in the browser, NFC for web apps, and native web sharing. Information technology was released on March 2, 2021.

Chrome Os Phone Hub for Android Devices

chrome os phone hub

Google has been working on a "Phone Hub" for Chrome OS for a lilliputian while. The functionality is similar to Microsoft's "Your Phone" app on Windows 10. You tin link your Android device and sync notifications, see recent tabs, and more.

Currently, the Telephone Hub can be manually enabled through a Chrome flag. Some people saw it on Chrome 88 already, only it should be working fifty-fifty better on Chrome 89. You may run across information technology without enabling annihilation after installing Chrome Bone 89.

RELATED: How to Enable Chrome OS' Android Phone Hub Right Now

WebHID Enabled by Default

"WebHID" is an API that aims to make less standardized keyboards and gamepads work better with web browsers. It provides a style to implement device-specific logic in JavaScript.

Browsers rely on the same HID protocol every bit the operating system. Notwithstanding, an uncommon HID device, like a complex gamepad, may require custom logic to work properly in a browser. This API is now enabled past default and should improve things.

RELATED: What Is a Human Interface Device (HID)?

Web Apps Can Employ NFC

Chrome 89 on Android enables "Web NFC" by default. This means that web apps can at present read and write NFC (Nearly Field Communications) tags. Typically, only native apps take been able to do this. Here is a sample website that can browse and write NFC tags.

The above video from Google shows a website interacting with NFC tags using Chrome's Web NFC API.

RELATED: What is NFC (Near Field Advice), and What Can I Employ It For?

Native Web Sharing on the Desktop

Windows 10's share menu from a website
Windows 10's share menu from a website

It'south common to see social network buttons on websites that allow yous to hands share the page, but you're express to the social sites that are listed. Chrome 89 brings Windows and Chrome OS web sharing closer in line with what you run into on Android.

If a site supports the new web sharing, the share button volition open a native sharing menu. That way, you can share the link with any apps on your device that back up it. You're not just limited to a Facebook and Twitter button. Here's a sample website that supports it.

Dropping Support for One-time Processors

Starting with Chrome 89, the browser will no longer back up older x86 processors that don't meet the new requirements. Devices will need to meet a minimum of SSE3 (Supplemental Streaming SIMD Extensions iii).

This shouldn't be an outcome for the vast majority of devices running Chrome 89 today. Processors have been supporting SSE3 for close to 15 years. If you do happen to have one of these devices, you'll be stuck on Chrome 88.

Programmer Goodies

Chrome 89 is especially heavy on the nether-the-hood improvements and developer goodies. You can read about many of these changes on its developer site and the Chromium blog. We'll highlight a few changes here:

  • Debugging support for Trusted Types violations: Developers can set breakpoints and catch exceptions on Trusted Type Violations through the Sources panel.
  • Capture node screenshot beyond viewport: It's now possible to capture screenshots for a full node and the content below the binder from the Elements panel.
  • New Trust Tokens tab for network requests: A new API called "Trust Token" can assist fight fraud and distinguish bots from real people without passive tracking.
  • The Lighthouse console is at present running Lighthouse 7.
  • AVIF Paradigm Decode: Chrome tin can at present load AVIF content natively with AVI decoders on Android and Webview.
  • Cross-origin opener policy reporting API: A new API allows sites to track usage across dissimilar domains.
  • Forced colors property: The new forced-colors CSS media query allows sites to detect whether the device is set to high-contrast brandish way.

Chrome volition automatically install the update on your device when information technology's bachelor. To immediately bank check for and install any available updates, click the card > Help > About Google Chrome.

RELATED: How to Update Google Chrome