The coronavirus outbreak, which continues to spread around the world, is having an impact on all technology companies. One of these impacts is the transfer of employees to remote work from home. Today, Google announced that due to the transfer of employees to remote work, the release of new versions of the Chrome browser and the Chrome OS software platform is temporarily stopped. The corresponding notice was published by the developers on the official Twitter account.
“Due to adjusted work schedules, we are pausing the release of new versions of Chrome and Chrome OS. Our goal is to ensure their stability, safety and reliability. Our priority will be to release security updates that users of Chrome 80 will be able to receive. Stay tuned, ”the developers said in a message.
As for updates for its own operating system, Chrome OS, which Google uses in tablets and laptops, their absence is directly related to the suspension of the release of new versions of Chrome. The main reason for this action is that Google has transferred all employees working in North America to remote work in order to reduce the likelihood of contracting coronavirus. According to reports, Google employees will be working from home until at least April 10 this year.
Due to adjusted work schedules, we're pausing upcoming Chrome & Chrome OS releases. Our goal is to ensure they continue to be stable, secure, & reliable for anyone who depends on them. We'll prioritize updates related to security, which will be included in Chrome 80. Stay tuned.
- Chrome Developers (@ChromiumDev)
While this may be disappointing for those who are looking forward to new features, this approach can be justified. Chrome is developed by a large number of people who need to adapt to new working conditions. In addition, developers will have more time to fix problems that arise. How long Google suspends Chrome and Chrome OS updates is still unknown.
Source: 3dnews.ru