Skip to main content

Google’s new Brotli algorithm is about to supercharge Web browsing

Google Chrome may be one of the fastest browsers around, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. Luckily, the team behind the venerable Internet browser hasn’t been sitting idle. Starting in the very near future, Chrome’s getting Brotli (“small bread” in Swiss German), a new page compression algorithm that decreases load times.

Brotli, which was revealed in September as a replacement for Chrome’s outgoing Zopfli algorithm, uses a more efficient data format to improve the compression of scripts by up to 26 percent. That should mean faster website rendering and better space utilization in most case, Google says, but the potential applications extend beyond mere page content. Compression engineer Zoltan Szabadka sees Brotli being used in image optimization and website pre-fetching on unreliable connections, and perhaps even font compression in scenarios where high-resolution typography isn’t a necessity (e.g., smartphones and other small-screen devices). Subsequently, Google expects all users (but especially those on mobile) to see “lower data transfer fees and reduced battery use.”

Recommended Videos

Brotli’s but part of Google’s multi-pronged approach to speeding up the Web. Data Saver, a Chrome extension which the company released on Android in December and on PCs in March, reduces bandwidth usage by using Google intermediary servers to optimize Web pages. The company’s in-development BoringSSL is a streamlined, lightweight alternative to cryptology library OpenSSL. And since 2013, Google’s been working to replace Chrome’s underlying WebKit rendering engine with its speedier, more efficient Blink codebase.

Thankfully, Google’s not keeping its compression breakthroughs close to the chest: Brotli’s free for any development team to implement. It’s already coming to Firefox, Google says, and is “under consideration” by Microsoft’s Edge team. You’ll have to wait a few weeks to give it a whirl and it’ll only work on HTTPS connections initially, but rest soundly with the knowledge that your Web browsing is about to get turbocharged.

Kyle Wiggers
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kyle Wiggers is a writer, Web designer, and podcaster with an acute interest in all things tech. When not reviewing gadgets…
Google is testing a new refresh shortcut for AI Mode
Google AI Mode for Search.

Google’s new AI Mode for search may soon get an update to make the feature easier to navigate after users input a query. 

The Gemini 2.0-powered AI-search function is an elevated search experience, providing a mix of contextual AI Overviews and relevant search links. Currently, Google has made AI Mode available to its Google One AI Premium subscribers as a preview. However, the brand may soon expand availability to free users, while also making it easier to reset an AI Mode conversation and remain on the same page. 

Read more
Can’t install Chrome? You aren’t alone, and here’s a fix
Lenovo Tab Extreme showing Chrome.

If you have tried to install Google Chrome only to be met with an error, here's the good news: it's not just you. The problem first popped up yesterday with widespread reports on Reddit and other social media platforms, and it appears to stem from a bug on Google's end. Essentially, users are getting the wrong version of Chrome when they try to download it. It's an irritating problem, but one that's relatively easily repaired.

Computers that use Intel and AMD chips are the most affected, as they're receiving a version of Chrome designed to be used with Snapdragon chips. However, some intrepid users have already found a workaround that will help you get your favorite browser installed until Google issues a correction.

Read more
Google’s Gemini is coming to Chrome for faster, easier browsing
Gemini 2.0 logo

Google is testing the integration of Gemini at the top of the browser in the latest Chrome Canary build, to facilitate access to the AI and make your browsing experience easier, as Windows Latest reports. Google is also working on a widget for Gemini.

Thanks to browser researcher Leopeva64, new details about how the feature works have emerged. Windows Latest tried turning on the GLIC-related flags to enable the Gemini icon but experienced some issues. A new "Glic" setting appeared in Chrome, allowing you to personalize how to open Gemini on your Windows PC. The setting gives you options to override existing shortcuts or enable them inside the menu.

Read more