Google published the release of Web-browser Chrome 122. Simultaneously, the stable release of the free project Chromium, which serves as the basis of Chrome, is also available. Chrome browser differs from Chromium in features such as the Google logo, a notification system for crashes, DRM modules for video playback, automatic update installations, Sandbox isolation, Google API key provision, and transmission of RLZ parameters during searches. For those needing more time to update, the Extended Stable branch is separately supported for up to 8 weeks. The next Chrome release, version 123, is scheduled for March 19.
Major changes in Chrome 122 include:
- In compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in Europe, users can now select their default search engine from a list of options. The available search engines in the “Chrome://Settings/Search” section are randomly displayed. View example.
- A new setting has been added on the “Chrome://Settings/Security” page to disable JIT-optimizers in the V8 JavaScript engine, enhancing security while working with potentially unsafe web applications.
- On the Android version, a feature for text-to-speech functionality on web pages has been introduced. Users can activate the reading mode from the dropdown menu and control it with playback buttons. The function utilizes an external service and sends links to Google servers for speech synthesis.
- Experimental features using machine learning, such as smart tab grouping, design generator, and interactive assistant introduced in Chrome 121, are being tested.
/Reports, release notes, official announcements.