Google Chrome has reigned as the most-used web browser on desktops and mobile devices for the last decade. While it’s always had fair criticism thrown its way — namely about the resource hog it tends to be — it’s still sat as the cream of the crop, and it recently got asplash of Material You back in September with version 117. For people that haven’t upgraded their Android phone in over half a decade and still use Android 7.0, however, they’re about to lose Chrome support entirely.
In Google’sChrome Enterprise and Education Release Notes page, which was last updated on October 25, tucked away in its “Coming Soon” section, the company writes that Google Chrome 120, which is heading for the stable release channel on December 6, will not support Android Nougat (viaAssembleDebug). Chrome 119,which just released quicker than follow-up Chrome versions usually do, will be the last Nougat-supported version of Google Chrome for Android. Sharp-minded readers of Android Police will recall that almost one year ago to the day, Google announced that Android 6.0, AKA Android Marshmallow, wouldlose support with the release of Chrome 107.
First released in a stable state in 2008, it took another four years for Google Chrome to release on Android for the first time with Chrome 18 in late 2012. Since then, it’s consistently been the most-used mobile, app-based browser in the world. That’s even true on iOS devices, where it constantly fights for supremacy with Apple’s Safari on its home turf.
Chrome 120 will not support nor ship to users running Android Nougat.
When Android 7.0, also known as Android Nougat, was released in 2016 alongside the original Google Pixel, it felt like a turning point in the company’s commitment to not only software but hardware. It was an exciting time in the Googleverse, even if the operating system version hasn’t gone on as one of the most beloved or influential of all time. Nowadays, only2.6% of Android users are using phones running on either 7.0 Nougat or 7.1 Nougat, while Android 13 takes the crown as the most-used Android operating system with it installed on 22.4% of all devices.
For those running newer mobile operating systems, Chrome 120 is going to get a lot of updates. On Android specifically,new visual display options for the omnibox and toolbars like transparency settingswill help with those pesky sites that don’t load properly. For those getting left behind with Nougat, while it is unfortunate that another older operating system is getting the Chrome axe, it’s just how the tech world works nowadays. Next year at this time, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Android 8.0 Oreo get cut from future Chrome for Android updates, too.
