Google has released Chrome 103, where it’s attempting to solve the syncing issues that users have had with Google’s devices for years, starting with Phone Hub.
In this new update (opens in new tab), the feature is getting a boost in how any photos taken on your Android device will show up on your other Google devices, such as Chromebooks and tablets, as long as you’re signed in to the same account.
There’s also, finally, a better way to share Wi-Fi passwords thanks to Nearby Share. Once you’re connected to a network, you can share this with another Chromebook or smartphone like the Pixel 6 for example, enabling them to connect to the network in an instant.
It’s good to finally see these quality of life features arrive from Google, considering Apple has had them for years. However, while the company states that this is only the beginning of what it wants to do for syncing devices, this should have happened much sooner.
Analysis: good start Google, now lets see more
We’re in an age where many users own more than one smart device, and a lot of these run on Google’s software. Considering it’s been difficult to share content between devices for years, it’s baffling that the company hasn’t acted on improvements to this sooner.
Apple’s iCloud service has enabled tabs and Wi-Fi passwords to be shared between users since 2015, for example, while pairing your AirPods to an iPhone has been around since 2017, while Google didn’t introduce a similar feature until 2021.
It’s time for the company to get its act together on this, and it’s reassuring that it seems to be doing so. However, time will tell just how fast these changes will land on Android 13, Chrome OS and more.
