Chrome for Android is battling poor connectivity with new features

In line with the announcement of its new Station initiative that aims to bring public Wi-Fi to areas with poor data connectivity, today Google also announced plans to make browsing the Web in Chrome for Android a lot faster and more efficient.

Thanks to its improved Data Saver mode, the popular browser will be able to save up to 60 percent of your total data usage without affecting the way you consume content.

Data Saver will soon support video compression, which means you’ll be able to save up to 67 percent of your data when streaming MP4 files.

Additionally, the browser is getting an enhanced optimization functionality that strips websites down to their essentials to make loading pages twice as fast. This only works for unencrypted websites; it won’t work on pages with heavy security, like those used by your bank or Amazon.

Chrome is also getting a download feature that lets you store entire web pages – including video, music, and pictures. You’ll be able to view saved pages offline.

Google also wants to make it easier for you to find content that you enjoy. The company will be adding a new discover feature that will recommend and download pages to access when offline.

For now, the recommendations will be based on whatever is popular around you, but will eventually be tailored to match your browsing history and habits.

Most of the new features will likely be included in Chrome 54, which will arrive by mid-October. It’s possible that others will drop in Chrome 55, which is due to be released by the end of the year.

via The Verge