Chrome for Android 32 update now saves 50% data usage

Chrome for Android now updated to Version 32

Visit Play Store in your Android smartphone or tablet to check whether the update is available for you or not.

If there is no update for your Chrome for Android, you probably have to wait one or two days, because Google rolls out Android app updates in stages.

What are the goodies in Chrome for Android v32?

Based on the blog post, the new features in this Chrome for Android update include:

• Add web page shortcuts right to your home screen more easily from the menu
• Reduce data usage in Chrome up to 50%. Visit Settings > Bandwidth management > Reduce data usage to enable.
• Stability and security updates
• Lots of stability and performance enhancements.

Of course, the most prominent feature for most users in this update is reduced data usage up to 50%.

How does Chrome for Android reduce data usage up to 50%?

There is no magic. Chrome for Android can reduce your data usage by up to 50% by compressing the contents delivered to your Android devices.

The compression, of course, cannot be done in your Android device as this will not save any data usage (and just slow down web browsing). The data compression of Chrome for Android is done in Google’s proxy servers.

The proxy server Chrome for Android may use is different from web proxy you probably have used in our main site. Google’s proxy server will pass your IP address and other browser info to the websites to be visited. While the anonymous web proxy is always trying to hide all such info so that anonymity can be achieved.

This just reminds you that although Chrome for Android may use Google’s proxy server, there is no anonymity.

By default, this data saving feature is not enabled in the Chrome for Android. You can enable it at Settings > Bandwidth management > Reduce data usage.

Enabling reduce data usage in Chrome for Android also gives safe browsing

According to Google, the data compression also enables Chrome’s Safe Browsing technology which helps protect you from malicious web pages. This makes sense because of the proxy server used.  The proxy server can deliver similar security as web proxies.

What do you think about this data usage saving feature in Chrome for Android? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.