Google has been helping Chrome users on Android browse faster with an improved Data Saver mode, a feature that it claims can shrink data use by up to 90% and improve loading times of webpages even on slow networks. However, it only worked with HTTP sites, until now.
The search giant has announced that Data Saver for Chrome on Android now applies to HTTPS pages as well, which means you will be able to experience secure and faster browsing even with a poor connection. The latest update is a welcome development especially at a time when HTTPS sites are becoming the norm.
For end users, it's also easier now to see whether Chrome is optimizing the page you are trying to view with a "Lite" icon that will appear before the URL. There's an option as well to view the original page, if the user so desires, by tapping the lite page indicator.
According to Google, the feature works only when Chrome detects that a user is browsing over a 2G or slow-2G network or when the estimated load time may take more than five seconds, depending on network conditions and device capabilities. The company added that Data Saver will be turned off automatically for users who frequently opt for the original page version.
Google is also trying not to cross privacy lines with the feature, saying that only the URL is shared with the company, leaving cookies, login data, and personalized page content under wraps.
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