Soon, 32 million Android devices may lose Google Chrome support
What's the story
Google Chrome, the most popular internet browser in the world, could soon end support for devices running Android Jelly Bean (v4.1-4.3). The outgoing support, as XDA Developers reported, could affect nearly 32 million Android users across the globe, forcing them to switch to other options for surfing the internet. Here are the details.
Signs
Signs of ending support
The XDA team found signs of outgoing support while digging into the version of Chrome for Android. They had found a commit, which indicated the minimum API level for the app would soon be Android 4.4. Currently, the minimum level is Android 4.1, but this particular find suggested only devices with KitKat or later would be able to run Chrome in the near future.
Affected users
A big chunk of users to be affected
Though it's not unusual to see an app end support for an older Android version, the changes made into Chrome could affect many, especially considering the immense popularity and user-base of the app. More than a billion people have Android devices and some 3.2% of these are still on Jelly Bean. This means, nearly 32 million people worldwide will be affected by this change.
Chrome alternatives
However, there are still plenty of options
While Google Chrome's departure from Jelly Bean would be annoying, it is imperative to note that it is not the only app to browse the internet. If support ends on your device, go for any other browser available on Google Play Store like UC Web, Opera Mini, or Firefox. As of now, Google has not mentioned when support might on Jelly Bean devices.