Google drops fresh Chrome updates for iPhones, Androids, Macs, and PCs - here's what's new

Google has pushed out a wave of Chrome updates for every major operating system, bringing a pile of security patches and performance fixes to computers and phones.

The updates roll out on slightly different tracks depending on your device. Windows users are getting version 148.0.7778.216/217, while Mac users get 148.0.7778.215/216. Linux is sticking to a single build: 148.0.7778.215.

If you are on Windows, Mac, or Linux, the update will take a few days or weeks to roll out globally. The official Chrome Releases Blog mentions that a full breakdown of specific security fixes is coming soon. Still, the raw development logs show that developers cleaned up a serious site isolation bypass where malicious code could potentially spoof page origins.

Meanwhile, the updates will be showing up faster on the mobile apps. The iOS build is already live on the App Store now as version 149.0.8727.45. The official changelog is as follows:

• When a tab is sent from Chrome on another device, you’ll get a notification on your lock screen.
• Customize your New Tab page background by selecting from a set of colors, a preset gallery, or uploading a photo from your device.
• You can now import your data from Safari, including passwords, credit cards, bookmarks, and browser history.
• Stability and performance improvements.

Android users will see their version, build 148.0.7778.215, pop up on the Google Play Store over the next few days. It has not yet landed on there for us at the time of this writing. Google notes that the Android app gets the exact same security fixes as the desktop version.

Many of the technical fixes target race conditions and memory safety bugs. In plain English, the patches stop the browser from trying to read data from memory slots that have already been emptied.

Hackers love targeting those specific vulnerabilities because they can cause severe crashes or allow unauthorized code to run. There is also a quick fix included for a broken paste button inside the touch menu on mobile screens.

To update on desktop, open Chrome, head to Settings, and click About Chrome. It will force a check and pull down the patch immediately. For your phone, just keep an eye on your app store queues over the weekend.

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