Google adds VP8 / WebM support to Chrome Dev channel

The Google Chrome developers have released the latest developer channel (a.k.a. the Dev channel) version of Chrome. Version 6.0.422.0 of its WebKit-based web browser features a number of bug fixes and adds support for the latest open WebM / VP8 video format introduced by Google as part of the WebM Project. Once Google considers the Dev builds to be stable enough, they are promoted to its Beta channel for future testing.

The developer's build of Chrome isn't the first browser to support WebM. Chromium, for example, included support on the day WebM was announced. Experimental builds of Opera and Custom nightly builds of Firefox with WebM support are also available. Other changes in version 6.0.422.0 of Google's WebKit-based browser include fixes for a bug that would cause the browser to crash when changing networks or waking from sleep and several Mac and Linux specific issues.

As this is a Dev channel release, use in production environments and on mission critical machines is not advised. Users testing the release are encouraged to provide feedback and report any bugs that they encounter.

Google has also published a new version of Chrome on its Beta channel. According to Chrome Program Manager Anthony Laforge, Chrome 5.0.375.70 addresses several crash and stability issues in the browser.

More details about the development release are available in the change log. Chrome 6.0.422.0 is available to download for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. Alternatively, users that currently have a Chrome Dev channel release installed can update using the built-in update function by clicking 'Tools', selecting 'About Google Chrome' and clicking the 'Update' button. The latest stable release for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux is Chrome 5.0 from the end of May.

See also:

• Phipps: WebM/VP8 "not currently open source", a report from The H.
• Google open source VP8 as part of the WebM Project, a report from The H.

(crve)