Google has announced that Chrome app launcher will be removed from Windows, Mac, and Linux (Photo : Getty Images/Bloomberg)
Google is helping nail Adobe Flash's coffin shut as they are now planning to end the support for the plugin by the end of the year.
The search engine giant is planning to entirely replace Flash with HTML5 with their upcoming Chrome 55 release. Google said that the plugin has become a key driving force in content for the Internet but the new changes in their Chrome browser will help improve security and power consumption.
Flash has been a controversial plugin for the past few years as hackers have started using it to compromise computers due to its many exploits and vulnerabilities. Despite Adobe's security patches, more bugs and exploits still pop up almost every day.
Google said that their Chrome 53 release in September will start to block the Flash plug-in for websites in order to provide users with faster load times, CNET has learned. It will also make Chrome users safer to hackers who are exploiting the weaknesses of the Flash plugin.
Several months ago, the Hacking Team's massive hack database has been leaked by other hackers. It was found that they have already been using several Flash zero-day exploits by selling them to their clients who wish to track or spy on unsuspecting victims.
Besides ads and videos, Flash is also mostly used for off-page analytics. Google said that over 90 percent of Flash found on the web are actually used for page analytics which can slow down the overall browsing experience of the users, ZDNet reported.
Chrome 42 already started to semi-block Flash content by prompting users to check whether they want to view Flash or not. Other users have already praised the feature as it improved their browsing experience and saved more battery power for laptops.
Google and Adobe are both rooting for HTML5 to replace Flash on the web. Facebook and YouTube have already shifted to using HTML5 for their video content which has also received praise from their users.
Adobe said that they are also working with Mozilla and Microsoft to help advance the adoption of HTML5. Google Chrome may just be the first of the many browsers to end Flash and adopt HTML5.
