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Chrome 93 beta brings better multi-window support, cross-device OTPs

Google will be rolling out new "milestones" every four weeks starting with Chrome 94.

What you need to know

  • Chrome 93 beta is now available to download.
  • It brings multi-screen window placement, window controls overlay for desktop web apps, and PWAs as URL handlers.
  • The stable version of Chrome 93 is expected to be released at the end of August.

Google today rolled out Chrome 93 beta for Android, Chrome OS, Linux, macOS, and Windows.

The new update introduces a few new original trials for Chrome desktop. These include a new Multi-Screen Window Placement API, Window Controls Overlay for installed desktop web apps, and PWAs as URL handlers. Google has also added cross-device support for the WebOTP API with Chrome 93, so you'll soon be paste SMS OTPs from your Android phone to your desktop.

X Device Webotp

With the Multi-Screen Window Placement API, developers can place windows on any display connected to a machine and make a window full-screen on any display. For example, presentation apps can use the API to display slides on one screen and speaker notes on another.

Window controls overlay for desktop web apps enables an app's client area to cover the entire window, making them look more like O.S. apps. PWA as URL Handlers allows desktop PWAs to be registered as URL handlers, which means links from outside of the app can open in the installed PWA instead of a new browser tab.

As announced by Google in March this year, Chrome 93 will be the last version to be released on a six-week cycle. Starting with Chrome 94, Google will release a new Chrome version every four weeks. It is also adding a new Extended Stable option, with milestone updates coming every eight weeks. Extended Stable will be limited to enterprise admins and Chromium embedders who require additional time to manage updates.

Google's blog post on what's new with Chrome 93 beta doesn't include any specific details on changes made to the Android version of the browser. However, you can expect to see a few minor UI tweaks. The update can be downloaded on the best Android phones through the Google Play Store. Needless to say, you'll need to be part of the Chrome beta program to be able to install it on your phone. As per Chrome's Platform Status page, the stable version of Chrome 93 is scheduled to be released on August 31.


by Babu Mohan