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Google Chrome Beta on iOS Lets You Lock Incognito Tabs With Face ID

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Google is testing a new feature for its Google Chrome app for iOS, which will let Incognito tabs be locked with either Face ID or Touch ID on an iPhone or iPad.

chrome beta incognito authentication
As highlighted by 9to5Google, the latest Chrome beta will blur Incognito tabs in the Chrome app until confirmed with the iPhone's biometric authentication.

The feature can be enabled by going to Settings > Privacy > Lock Incognito tabs when you close Chrome. There's a similar option in the Google Search app that confirms identity with ‌Face ID‌ or ‌Touch ID‌ when returning to an incognito search session after 15 minutes, and there's also a privacy lock built into Google Drive.

Google has not updated the Chrome app for iOS since November as it is delaying new versions of most of its apps at the current time. It's not clear when the new feature might launch in the release version of Chrome, but Chrome 89 is expected to launch next month.

The Incognito tab locking feature is limited to beta testers at the current time, and according to 9to5Google, not all beta users are able to access the locking option as there is a server-side element involved.

Tags: Chrome for iOS, Google

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Top Rated Comments

kiensoy Avatar
kiensoy
66 months ago
Geez... then maybe this post is not for you guys. I’m not sure why the need of fanboys to go and attack the competition. I also use Safari but that sounds like a nice feature.


Yeah, Nah, no thanks, I’ll stick with the best browser in the world SAFARI. 😊

No thanks. Safari is safe, fast, and transparent. no need for
chrome.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrTechAdvice Avatar
MrTechAdvice
66 months ago
No thanks. Safari is safe, fast, and transparent. no need for
chrome.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IllinoisCorn Avatar
IllinoisCorn
66 months ago
Under the hood, Chrome for iOS is largely the same as Safari, so when people talk about Safari SPEED on iOS versus other browsers, they lose me.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
P
Psychicbob
66 months ago
Very secure. Only you and the whole of the Google Corp and all their business partners know what you’ve been looking at.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Piggie Avatar
Piggie
66 months ago
Correct me if I'm wrong.
But I'm sure I recall over the past many years, whenever they had those cracking/exploit competitions that they used to hold before Covid.
Safari was always the first to get hacked/cracked into.

Sure I remember hearing about this every year in the past.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rebel22lax Avatar
rebel22lax
66 months ago

Pretty cool idea, BUT...if someone was trying to access your locked Incognito tabs on your iOS device then wouldn't your device have already been compromised? Honest question. Just trying to wrap my head around when this would actually be useful.
yea... but I look at it like this if someone were to break into your house that would suck but they can't break into your bedroom that would suck less
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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