Google Chrome is discontinuing support for Android Nougat, specifically Android 7.0 and 7.1. This means users with older Android phones from over five years ago will lose Chrome support.
Chrome 120 Update No Longer Supports Android Nougat
The upcoming Chrome 120 update, set to release on December 6, will not be compatible with Android Nougat. Chrome 119 is the last version that will support Nougat, and it includes a message prompting affected users to upgrade their operating system.
According to Google’s latest Android distribution data, Android 13 is being adopted by approximately 14.7% of active devices worldwide. Despite this, Android 11 remains the most popular version at 23.1%.
Meanwhile, Android Nougat holds just a 3% share, and it’s clear that older operating systems are gradually being phased out.
New Features in Chrome 120
- Default Search Engine Selection: Users will have the option to choose their default search engine within Chrome, starting with Chrome 120.
- Safety Check Revamp: Google is introducing a proactive Safety Check feature that regularly scans the browser for safety-related issues and alerts users to any problems.
- Responsive Toolbar: Chrome Desktop users will experience a responsive toolbar that adapts to changing window sizes, improving user experience.
- Third-Party Cookie Testing: Chrome plans to disable third-party cookies for 1% of traffic in January 2024 for testing. Most enterprise users are excluded, and administrators can control this feature.
- Network Service Sandbox: The network service on Windows will be sandboxed for enhanced security and reliability, potentially affecting software that interacts with it.
- Chrome Profile Separation: New policies will be available for enterprises to configure enterprise profiles.
New Features in Chrome 120 on iOS
- Package Tracking: iOS users can enable a package tracking feature that displays delivery dates and package status on the New tab page.
- Resume Tabs from Other Devices: Chrome will offer the option to continue tabs used on a previous device.
- Quick Tab Resume: Users will have a shortcut to resume the last opened tab on any device with the same signed-in user profile within the last 24 hours.
- User Policies for iOS: Admins can apply policies and preferences across a user’s devices when they sign in to Chrome with their managed account.
- Password Manager Sharing: Password Manager allows users to share their passwords within their Google Family Group. This feature is expanding to various platforms.
Availability
Google Chrome 120 update is expected to be released next month.