Chrome OS 72 Released With Optimisations for Touchscreen Devices, Newer Features

Google is rolling out the new update for its operating system - Chrome OS 72, with bug fixes, security updates and newer features like external storage access for Android apps including microSD cards and USB drives along with Picture in Picture (PiP) mode for Chrome sites. With Chrome OS 72, Google has optimised the Chrome browser for touchscreen devices in tablet mode and added app shortcuts for Android apps that are now searchable in the launcher, the company wrote in a blog post on Saturday.

"Users can find an app shortcut by long pressing or right-clicking on an Android app," the post said.

The update also features a page about touch-gestures in Chrome's built-in screen reader - ChromeVox - tutorial.

"Within the screen reader, we have added a setting in the ChromeVox options page that would read anything under the mouse cursor," the post added.

Additionally, Chrome 72 would allow files saved via Backup and Sync on Google Drive to be available in the Files app under the My Drive/Computers menu option.

Systems would be receiving the updates over the next several days, the post noted. 

Further, the updated Chrome operating system also brings policies for managing print job attributes for native printing including simple/duplex printing and colour/B&W printing.

Among the security improvements, the network manager for Chrome OS, has now been put in a sandbox and no longer runs as the root user on the system.

The exact version number of the new Chrome OS release is 72.0.3626.97 (Platform version: 11316.123.0, 11316.123.1) and as we mentioned earlier, it will be released to all Chrome OS devices over the next several days.

Written with inputs from IANS