Google has released Google Chrome 148 Beta for Android, introducing new capabilities aimed at improving web app functionality and hardware connectivity. The update brings Web Serial API support and SharedWorker support, two features that significantly expand what web applications can do directly from the browser.
Web Serial API Comes to Android
One of the most notable additions in Chrome 148 Beta is support for the Web Serial API. This feature allows web applications to communicate with serial devices directly through the browser.
Serial communication is commonly used with hardware such as:
- Microcontrollers like Arduino boards
- Industrial devices
- IoT hardware
- USB-connected development boards
With Web Serial support on Android, developers can build web apps that interact with hardware without needing a native Android application. This makes it easier to create browser-based tools for device configuration, monitoring, and debugging.
For example, developers working with IoT devices can connect their hardware directly to their phone and access it through the browser, improving convenience and portability.
SharedWorker Support Improves Multi-Tab Performance
Another important addition in Chrome 148 Beta is support for SharedWorker. SharedWorker allows multiple browser tabs or windows to share a single worker process.
This means that different tabs from the same website can communicate with the same background script, reducing duplication of tasks and improving performance.
Benefits of SharedWorker include:
- Better memory efficiency
- Improved background processing
- Easier data sharing between tabs
- Reduced CPU usage
For instance, web applications like messaging platforms or dashboards can maintain a single background connection instead of creating multiple ones across tabs.
Better Capabilities for Progressive Web Apps
These new features are especially beneficial for Progressive Web Apps (PWAs). With Web Serial and SharedWorker support, PWAs on Android can behave more like native applications.
Developers can now build more powerful web-based tools that interact with hardware and maintain persistent background processes across multiple pages.
Availability
The new features are currently available in Chrome 148 Beta for Android, which allows developers to test upcoming capabilities before the stable version is released. Google typically moves features from beta to the stable channel after successful testing and feedback.
Users who want to try the update can download Chrome Beta from the Google Play Store.
Final Thoughts
With the addition of Web Serial and SharedWorker support, Chrome 148 Beta for Android continues to close the gap between web apps and native mobile applications. These improvements give developers more flexibility while enabling richer browser-based experiences on mobile devices.
As web technologies evolve, updates like this help push the boundaries of what can be achieved directly from the browser.