Google halted Chrome release to 'keep the situation steady'

As usual, Google releases new updates every 6 weeks for Chrome browser and Chrome OS platform. The latest version of Chrome - Chrome 80 - has been released since early February, but until now official information about Chrome 81 has not appeared yet. The reason is that Google is suspending deployment of new Chrome releases, and the reason being given is to keep things "stable, secure and reliable" for all users as well as developers. developed before the effects of COVID-19.

Of course users will most likely continue to receive security updates, but not for feature updates.

Google halted Chrome release to 'keep the situation steady' Picture 1

The question to ask here is why Google did not focus on stability like this from the beginning, but had to 'wait' until there was a local impact on a global scale as COVID-19. Disrupting the normal development cycle to maintain platform stability is not uncommon in the software industry, but such situations should not occur. It shows that the publisher has not really carefully prepared for any situation.

As for Chrome, Google recently released an unusual update (Chrome 80.0.3987.122) to fix the three reported security vulnerabilities, including a zero-day vulnerability currently under development. Malicious agents actively exploit. Chrome 81's 'indefinite delay' will give Google more time to improve the stability of the current version with the above-mentioned additional patches, but in return for new planned features will not work. Released as scheduled.

The Chrome Developers team has not yet set a time for redistributing new versions of Chrome browser.