Chrome 90 Defaults to HTTPS, Adds AV1 Codec for Optimized Video Conferencing

Google today rolled out Chrome 90 to its stable channel, introducing automatic preference for HTTPS sites over the HTTP protocol, plus some other notable changes.

chrome 90
By default, Chrome will now redirect all websites to use the more secure HTTPS protocol. Encrypted using Transport Layer Security (TLS), HTTPS secures communication over networks by authenticating the website and protecting the privacy of data in transit. MacRumors.com has supported HTTPS for some time now.

In addition, Chrome 90 adopts the AV1 codec for optimized video conferencing with WebRTC. The new codec should improve compression efficiency and reduce bandwidth consumption while improving video quality, and improve connectivity on low bandwidth connections. Screen sharing is also said to be more efficient when compared to the VP9 codec.

Elsewhere, users can now hide the Reading List without delving into Chrome's flags. To do so, right-click the Bookmark Bar and deselect the new Show Reading List option at the bottom.

Meanwhile, for developers, Chrome 90 introduces support for CSS overflow, which should help prevent scrolling within a CSS box. Google has also renamed the Feature Policy API to Permission Policy, which lets users adjust the behavior of certain APIs and web features in the browser.

In the previous version of the browser, Chrome 89 introduced Google's live caption transcription feature, which uses machine learning to create a real-time transcription for videos or audio played through the browser.

Google Chrome for Mac is a free download available directly from Google's servers. Google Chrome for iOS is a free download for iPhone and iPad available on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Tag: Chrome

Top Rated Comments

Santabean2000 Avatar
40 months ago
I know Chrome is hugely popular (and I have used it a lot too, and still do have to occasionally), but I have not been happier since kicking it into touch for the most part. Such a greedy pig of a thing is so many ways...

Safari on an M1 is snappier!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ForkHandles Avatar
40 months ago
It’s free because they want your life story, then they sell adverts you’ll love.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cerberusss Avatar
40 months ago
This and the previous version of Chrome now contain FLoC, Google's replacement for cookies. It's slowly being turned on by default. If you value your privacy, the EFF has a website that to check whether it's enabled or not:

https://amifloced.org/
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
telo123 Avatar
40 months ago

It’s free because they want your life story, then they sell adverts you’ll love.
Ad blocker. Turn off ads personalization on Google Account settings.

Easy fix. I don't know why people make such a big deal about this.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
apparatchik Avatar
40 months ago

Ad blocker. Turn off ads personalization on Google Account settings.

Easy fix. I don't know why people make such a big deal about this.
If 100% of people did this, Google would stop offering the product or disable ad-blocking altogether as it has in mobile Chrome.

As you’re basically working around the product which is you. That’s why it’s a big deal, you’re working around the product design and understating the implications of the business model and its derivatives:

https://chromeisbad.com/

I’ve struggle myself trying to find lightweight Chromium-based alternatives for all the functionality intentionally missing from Google services in Safari, such as the ability to share just one browser Tab or program window on a Google Meet call, or the ability to share the audio from said tab or window. This is just an example.

Heck, up until relatively recently you couldn’t even take Meet/Hangout calls in Safari, even though Safari had implemented the technologies to do so. Proven by the fact that if you changed Safari’s browser agent the sites would work.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jtrenthacker Avatar
40 months ago
I have been using Brave on my Macs and PC for the last couple of months and love it. Very fast.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

ipad pro 2022

Apple Event Rumors: iPad Pro With M4 Chip and New Apple Pencil With Haptic Feedback

Sunday April 28, 2024 6:19 am PDT by
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman outlined some of the new products he expects Apple to announce at its "Let Loose" event on May 7. First, Gurman now believes there is a "strong possibility" that the upcoming iPad Pro models will be equipped with Apple's next-generation M4 chip, rather than the M3 chip that debuted in the MacBook Pro and iMac six months ago. He said a ...
apple id account

Apple ID Accounts Logging Out Users and Requiring Password Reset

Saturday April 27, 2024 12:41 am PDT by
There are widespread reports of Apple users being locked out of their Apple ID overnight for no apparent reason, requiring a password reset before they can log in again. Users say the sudden inexplicable Apple ID sign-out is occurring across multiple devices. When they attempt to sign in again they are locked out of their account and asked to reset their password in order to regain access. ...
iOS 18 Siri Integrated Feature

iOS 18 Rumored to Add These 10 New Features to Your iPhone

Wednesday April 24, 2024 2:05 pm PDT by
Apple is set to unveil iOS 18 during its WWDC keynote on June 10, so the software update is a little over six weeks away from being announced. Below, we recap rumored features and changes planned for the iPhone with iOS 18. iOS 18 will reportedly be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, with new ChatGPT-inspired generative AI features, a more customizable Home Screen, and much more....
iOS 18 General Notes Feature 2

iOS 18 Rumored to 'Overhaul' Notes, Mail, Photos, and Fitness Apps

Sunday April 28, 2024 6:44 am PDT by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that iOS 18 will "overhaul" many of Apple's built-in apps, including Notes, Mail, Photos, and Fitness. Gurman did not reveal any specific new features planned for these apps. It was previously rumored that the Notes app will gain support for displaying more math equations, and a built-in option to record voice memos, but this is the first time we have...
top stories 27apr2024

Top Stories: Apple Announces 'Let Loose' Event With New iPads and More Expected

Saturday April 27, 2024 6:00 am PDT by
New iPads are coming, and Apple is holding a virtual event to introduce them! While it appears likely to be a relatively short video event, we should be seeing new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, some new accessories, and perhaps some additional surprises. Other Apple news and rumors this week included word that Apple is FINALLY planning to introduce a native Calculator app for the iPad later...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: Apple's iPad Event Finally Announced!

Friday April 26, 2024 8:31 am PDT by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the announcement of Apple's upcoming "Let loose" event, where the company is widely expected to announce new iPad models and accessories. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's event invite shows an artistic render of an Apple Pencil, suggesting that iPads will be a focus of the event. Apple CEO Tim...