Version 74 of Chrome OS, after its rollout is now available to Android, Mac, Windows, and Linux. Google has now released Chrome OS 74 with a new unified search that redesigns the Assistant experience. Other important additions include PDF annotation tools and folder creation in My Files.
Search in Chrome OS 74:
Search in Chrome OS 74 has now been redesigned and now it provides a better-combined experience for device, web, and Assistant lookups. Tap the search box and you just have to enter whatever you’re looking for, whether it’s an app or tomorrow’s forecast. Hovering over any item in the history will allow users to quickly delete it from their account which will be followed by a confirmation prompt then.
Google Assistant will attempt to first perform the search and display results inline. While Assistant earlier was originally a floating dialogue, however, it has now integrated into the general Chrome OS search experience for a more unified experience.
Chrome OS PDF viewer:
The Chrome OS PDF viewer now will be featuring built-in annotation tools. Markup options will include a pen and highlighter that will allow for multiple colors and adjustable stroke width. There will also be an eraser and redo/undo buttons, this feature being very useful in conjunction with styli, pens, and your finger or mouse.
There is a now a new “Customize” TAB to set a Chrome background or upload your own image. There are also controls to restore the default web shortcuts and New Tab wallpaper.
Previously it was difficult and limited to the default download folder to save files and create new folders. However, with Chrome OS 74, these actions are possible in the “My files” root. Similarly, Linux apps on Chrome OS (Crostini) can now play audio. Additionally, users can send system performance profiling data with feedback reports
- Send system performance profiling data along with feedback reports
- Linux apps can output audio
- USB camera support for the Android Camera app
- Removal of deprecated supervised users
- [Accessibility] ChromeVox developer log options: There are now a number of developer options available within the ChromeVox Options page which enable developers to turn on logging for speech and other items
- Support for new files and folders under the “My files” local root
- Users can quickly access their most recent apps and Google searches by clicking on the search box
- Annotate documents from the Chrome PDF Viewer
Security Improvements made:
- The SafeSetID LSM has been added to Chrome OS and the Linux kernel. It allows system services to safely manage the users under which their programs run without requiring powerful system privileges. This improves security in the event there is a vulnerability in the system service that can be exploited.
Chrome OS 74 is rolling out now and will be available for all Chromebooks over the next several weeks.