Chrome prefetching will make your browsing seem faster – even if it’s not
Can your online experience ever be fast enough? Probably not. And this is why Google is taking steps to speed up Chrome – or at least to make the browser feel as though it is faster.
The company is testing a method of loading pages in the background before they are needed so the experience of a page appearing is faster. Currently in testing is an optional feature called prefetching which works much as you might expect it to.
Google tests fingerprinting block to boost Chrome Incognito Mode privacy
Every web browser has a browsing mode designed to be more private; in Chrome, it is Incognito Mode. But while switching to this mode can help with improving privacy at a local level, it is not flawless when it comes to blocking external privacy invasions.
Tackling the problem of websites using invisible images to track visitors who have cookies disabled, Google is currently testing a new method of making Incognito Mode more secure and private.
Google explains Gemini Apps limits and upgrades for Google AI subscribers
There is much to get frustrated about in relation to AI, not least of which is that there are so many AI tools to choose from. But there is also the fact that each AI app and service has its own limitations, and it can be difficult – or impossible – to know what these limits are until you hit them.
It has been this way with Google Gemini. Google has, until now, been a little fuzzy when it comes to telling users about limits. Being told that the company “may have to cap how much you can use some features” is not very helpful, certainly not very specific. But now Google has published much more detailed information to help users know where they stand.
EU fines Google €2.95 billion over adtech abuses
The European Commission has fined Google €2.95 billion (about $3.19 billion) for abusing its dominance in online advertising technology. The penalty, announced on Friday, September 11, follows findings that the search giant favored its own services at the expense of rivals, advertisers, and publishers.
The Commission ordered the company to end the practices and submit a plan within 60 days to address conflicts of interest in the adtech supply chain.
Scrolling support for Google Translate arrives in Circle to Search
Google has added an important feature to the popular translation feature of Circle to Search. While the dedicated Google Translate app or web site are perfect for translating between languages in numerous scenarios, Circle to Search provides another means of accessing the handy functionality.
The fact that Circle to Search offers translation is not new – so much so that Google is quick to point out that “translation is one of the most-used features in Circle to Search”. What is new is the ability to translate while scrolling.
Google will not be forced to sell Chrome – but it has work to do
A judge has ruled that Google will not have to sell its Chrome browser after the Department of Justice proposed this last year. But as part of the ruling, the court says that the company will have to change some things about the way it operates.
The short version is that Google will no longer be allowed to make exclusivity deals relating to search, Google Assistant, Gemini, or Chrome. In the ruling, Judge Amit Mehta said that the US government has “overreached” when pushing for Chrome to be sold off.
Google Maps in Android 16 is getting an amazing Live Updates feature
For many people, Google Maps is absolutely indispensable, and Google is about to make the navigation tool even more useful in Android 16. Taking advantage of a new feature introduced in the latest version of its mobile operating system, Google Maps is gaining useful Live Updates support.
Live Updates are a new type of notification that are used in very specific circumstances – such as flight tracking, delivery tracking, or navigation. Google is experimenting with Google Maps integration and, if it is done correctly, it could be a game-changer.
Google hits out at ‘entirely false’ claims of a major Gmail security issue
Google has taken the unusual move of addressing claims about a major Gmail security issue – claims the company says are “entirely false”.
Insisting that “Gmail’s protections are strong and effective”, Google does not specify which claims it is referring to or where they stem from. What is clear, though, is that the company has been rattled by whoever has tried to bring into question the security of its email platform.
YouTube gets tougher with Premium Family plan restrictions
It was inevitable that it would happen one day, and that day appears to have arrived. YouTube is getting stricter about how a Premium Family plan can be used.
The rules that apply to YouTube Family Premium are not changing, but YouTube is now seemingly enforcing restrictions that it was previously happy to turn a blind eye to.
Google is making it easier to manage Android apps across devices
If you have more than one Android device, you have probably used the Google Play Store to install apps on a device other than the one in your hand. The ability to ‘remotely’ install apps in this way is a great time saver, and Google is expanding the management features available to users.
If you can install an app on not only the device in front of you but also another linked to your account, why not uninstall it in the same way? Technically, you can, but Google has made it so awkward that it puts most people off – until now.
Your Android phone will soon be able to auto-open apps when installation completes
When you install an app, the chances are that you’re going to want to fire up straight away. To help with this, Google is in the process of rolling out a handy auto-open feature to Android users.
If this sounds familiar, that is because it is something Google was spotted working on back in the second half of last year. You would have been forgiven for thinking that the company had forgotten about it, but the auto-open toggle is back.
Google Translate is ready to take on Duolingo with new language learning tools
When it comes to casual, mobile-based language learning, Duolingo reigns supreme. And now Google Translate is ready to take it on head-to-head.
Until now, Google Translate has been a multi-tool for travellers, holidaymakers, businesspersons and immigrants. It serves as an on-demand dictionary and translation tool for dozens and dozens of languages, and the next step sees it branching out into language lessons.
Google to block sideloading of apps from unverified developers
Downloading apps from an official app store helps to avoid dodgy software. The obstacles that can stand in the way of developers getting their apps into the likes of the Google Play Store, however, means that sideloading remains incredibly popular.
Sideloaded apps – those downloaded from unofficial sources – can be safe, but it is something of a minefield. And this is why Google has announced plans to block the sideloading of apps from developers that it has not been able to verify.
YouTube has been using AI on the sly to enhance creators’ videos
Many people turn to AI to improve their writing, their photos, or their videos. YouTube has been doing the same, quietly enhancing the look of users’ uploaded videos through the use of artificial intelligence.
So, what is the problem? Many creators are upset not so much that their videos have been “enhanced” (although there is debate over whether what YouTube has done can actually be seen as an improvement) but that it was done without consent.
Google is making it easier to switch your default browser to Chrome
Every company with a web browser wants you to choose it as your default. Google is no different with Chrome than Microsoft is with Edge or Mozilla is with Firefox.
Microsoft has received a lot of flak for the heavy-handed way in which it has prompted Edge and attempted to get users to switch to it. More than this the company has made it more difficult to set other browsers as default, although this has changed in recent times. Now Google is taking steps to promote Chrome, pushing a one-click-to-switch capability.
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