Chrome on Android will allow sharing your approximate location with websites.
Google is reportedly testing a new location feature on its Chrome browser for Android phones. The tech giant appears to be working on enabling an approximate location option, allowing websites to access a less precise location instead of accurate GPS coordinates. This new feature is expected to give users more control over the location data each website can access. The approximate location option may give users the flexibility to share their precise location with specific websites.
Chrome is testing a new location feature. Android Authority spotted a new option in Chrome version 142.0.7444.171 for Android that allows users to share their approximate location with websites. Google appears to be currently testing this updated location permissions dialog, meaning you may have to wait for the feature to appear on your smartphone. This change is expected to improve privacy controls, allowing users to specify which websites can track their location.
A new Chrome setting allows for more precise location access at the app level, giving users the option to share only an approximate location with specific websites. With this update, sites that only need a general idea of your location will no longer receive GPS-level details, but sites that require precise location, such as for navigation, will still be able to request it.
This feature can be enabled early by clicking on the Chrome address bar and then scrolling through the experimental Chrome settings until the "Approximate location permission" option appears. After selecting "Activate - horizontal prompt with icon + description," choosing "Approximate location" restricts websites to seeing only your general area, rather than precise locations.
Meanwhile, Google job postings have confirmed an AI-powered aluminum operating system project for computers. The browser is also receiving a visual update starting with version 141, and the server update is now reportedly available on more devices. This update includes user interface changes based on Google's Material Design 3 language, such as updates to the three-dot menu and a redesigned bookmarks icon.