Google Chrome 69 Embraces Android Display Notch, Picture-in-Picture For Desktop
In the world of browsers, updates come fast and often. So never mind that you only recently updated Chrome to version 68, the next version is right around the corner and currently being beta tested. One of the features Google will introduce with Chrome 69 is supported for smartphones with display cutouts, otherwise known as notches.
"Display cutouts are now supported in Chrome through the new CSS env() function (environment variables) and the viewport-fit meta tag. This allows developers to take advantage of the entire screen on devices that have a display cutout," Google explains in a blog post.
Apple popularized the idea of using a notch to enable a mostly all-front display on the iPhone X, and using the display cutout to house the front cameras. The concept actually dates back further to the Essential Phone, for all three people who purchased one. After the iPhone X, however, several Android device makers adopted notched designs.
Chrome 69 will take advantage of notches by stretching out the browser window. You can test the feature now if you download the beta release, though Corbin Davenport at Android Police reports that it's buggy (he was not able to get it to work after setting the appropriate flag).
The beta release of Chrome 69 also introduces media playback on Android Go, a new download manager, and support for picture-in-picture on the desktop (Windows, Linux, macOS, and of course Chrome OS), a feature that has been available on Android for a long time now.
If you are comfortable using beta software, you can down Chrome in beta form here.
