Chrome for Windows gets updated with battery saving capabilities and “do not track” feature

The latest Google Chrome update for Windows is focus on saving battery life and easier website permissions. Google has recently enabled GPU-accelerated video decoding on its browser for Windows. Using GPU-accelerated video decoding especially when watching videos can increase battery life, says Ami Fischman, a Software Engineer at Google. In a series of tests conducted, it was confirmed that the batteries lasted 25 percent longer when GPU-accelerated video decoding was enabled on Chrome. This is, of course, a good news for Chrome users, especially road warriors and people who love working outside since it would mean longer battery life.

Additionally, Google is now making it easier for users to view and control website permissions for capabilities such as geolocation, pop-ups, and camera/ microphone access, therefore saving time from having to dig through settings pages to find these permissions. A simple click on the page/ lock icon next to a website’s address will allow users to view a list of permissions that they can adjust. The latest Chrome update also features an optional “do not track” request that users can send to websites. However, Google says that effectiveness of such requests will depend on the responsiveness of the website.