Chrome OS 64 Announced With New Screenshot Feature, Android App Optimisations, and More

Days after the debut of a new Chrome web browser for Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux, Google has updated the Chrome OS to the version 64 build. The latest Chrome OS update includes a bunch of new features alongside security fixes and performance improvements. The build will become available for devices over the next few days. There is a new screenshot shortcut - mainly designed for convertible Chrome OS devices - and some system-level changes to optimise Android app experience.

Among the new features, the Chrome OS build 64.0.3282.134 (platform version: 10176.65.0) offers the new screenshot shortcut as the major new change, especially if you own a touchscreen Chrome OS machine. You just need to press the power and volume button simultaneously to take screenshots. This is similar to how Android users capture screenshots on their mobile devices and tablets. The new screenshot feature was first showcased in the Chrome OS 64 beta.

The new Chrome OS enhances the way it was originally handling Android apps. For instance, there is a revamped Intent Picker for Play apps to enable a "same window by default with override". The new version also allows users to enable a VPN for Google Play apps and adds enhancements to the existing protected media pipeline for Android. Additionally, the update includes Android Container Auto Update optimisations and touchscreen pairing settings.

Addressing security issues, the latest Chrome OS version includes browser fixes the potential side-channel attack techniques particular to the infamous Spectre vulnerability. Google majorly patched the platform against Meltdown and Spectre in its version 63 that arrived in December.

Moreover, the new Chrome OS update has a Split View feature to improve multitasking in the tablet model. The fresh version also comes with the same three-layer protection that Google brought to desktops and mobile devices previously to prevent sites with ad abusive experiences. In that sense, there is an improved pop-up blocker and a barrier for third-party iframes to stop malicious auto-redirects from any third-party content that is embedded into Web pages. The new version also enables sitewide auto-muting setting to deliver a more consistent media autoplay behaviour for Chrome OS users.