Chrome Beta 78 Packs Native File System, SMS Receiver API Features

Chrome Beta 78 is out now packed with new capabilities for websites. The 77 version of Chrome has completed its rollout, pushing the version 78 to beta testing. The new one highlights Native File System, SMS Receiver API, and other interesting features.

Chrome Beta 78 Native File System

Chrome's 78 version has a new Native File System API for developers to build web apps that communicate with a user's local device like text editors, video/photo editors, IDEs, and others. Once the user grants permission, the API allows the web app to read, edit, and save the changes directly in the files and folders on the user's device.

The Native File System works when a web page pops open a file picker dialogue box, similar to what you see when you click an Upload button on any website. Depending on the web page, the user can select either a single file or an entire folder.

However, users may feel anxious about a website editing their files. But Google insists on security precautions for the feature. The Chrome team says that a web page can read or edit files only if the user grants permission. Moreover, the permission stays granted until the site is closed.

Chrome Beta 78 Features

The Chrome 78 beta version has an API for android app where SMS verifications are automatically copied. Usually, apps and services send a code to verify the phone number of the user. This requires leaving the app to open messages to copy the code. The new SMS Receiver API in the new Chrome beta version automates the entire process. Chrome says that it can wait for the message to appear where it'll copy automatically.

Apart from these two prominent features, Google has also bundled the new Chrome version with other features. A user can access CSS Properties and Values API Level 1 where they can access full custom properties to set a default one or even animate it, says the Chromium Blog. Plus, the webpages can no longer create pop-up windows while being closed. Lastly, the blog notes that the update is for both users and developers.