If there is a reason why companies such as Google and Apple are so strict when it comes to reviewing apps for sale on their app stores, it is because they want to ensure that these apps do not end up hurting the user, such as steal their information, invade their privacy, or end up being malware in disguise.However this is something that third-party storefronts can’t always guarantee, which is why it’s not surprising to learn that Google will no longer allow Chrome extensions to be installed via third-party websites. Previously web developers could allow extensions to be installed from their websites which are also known as inline installations.
However according to James Wagner, Google’s extensions platform product manager, “We continue to receive large volumes of complaints from users about unwanted extensions causing their Chrome experience to change unexpectedly. The majority of these complaints are attributed to confusing or deceptive uses of inline installation on websites.”
He adds, “We’re confident this change will improve transparency for all users about their extension choices in Chrome.” It’s not a particularly huge change but it does mean one or two extra steps that users will need to take before installing an extension, but it should also help reduce confusion and being misled into installing an extension they don’t need.