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What you need to know

• Google is rolling out the Chrome 131 update for iOS and iPadOS, which brings deeper integration to the company’s services.

• The changes will make it easier to use Google Chrome, Drive, Photos and Maps on iPhone or iPad.

• By giving users more options to enter the Google ecosystem with their iOS devices, Google can make it easier for iPhone users to migrate to Android in the future.

Google announced Today, Google is rolling out Chrome 131 to iOS and iPadOS, which includes major upgrades to how the browser works with the company’s other services. The update brings four core functions that Android users already have to the other side of the walled garden, and could make it easier for iPhone and iPad users to enter the Google ecosystem. These changes are being rolled out gradually, and some features are limited to users in the US for now.

The upgrades coming to Chrome 131 for iOS are aimed at helping Google’s portfolio of services become more competitive with Apple’s own offerings. For example, when iPhone users start running out of storage space, they are often asked to purchase more iCloud storage as part of a monthly subscription from Apple. Google now offers a different solution in Chrome 131 for iOS. Users can save files directly from a website. Chromium their Google Drive cloud storage eliminates the need to save to device storage first.

New context menus will give users the option to save files to Google Drive instead of the native iOS Files app. It is also possible to upload photos directly to Google Photos with another context menu. Files uploaded to Drive from Chrome for iOS are stored in their own folders.

Google, like Apple, limits the amount of free storage users can access in the cloud. You get 15GB of storage from Google and only 5GB from Apple; so there is a clear benefit to saving certain files directly to Google Drive. However, once that free space is exhausted, Google will probably prefer you pay for extra storage. Google One Subscription instead of iCloud Plus plan.

With this update, Google Lens gets support. Users can now search using photos, screenshots, and text simultaneously. This functionality is already available on Android but is available for the first time in Chrome 131 for iOS. Moreover, Shopping Information It will tell people in the US whether they are getting a great deal or not. This includes providing an easily accessible price chart that shows whether the current sale price is actually a great discount using months of price history.

Finally, Chrome 131 for iOS adds quick access support Google Maps previews. When you see an address on a website, one tap will open a map of the location and provide the most important details. From here, you can press again to get directions to the address on Google Maps. This feature will be rolled out gradually over the next few months, so you may not see it right away.

These features of Chrome 131 are nothing new for Android users, but they may make it easier for iPhone users to switch to Android. Once you get used to relying on Apple services like iCloud Drive, iCloud Photos, and Apple Maps, it can become difficult to switch. With Chrome 131 for iOS, Google offers iPhone and iPad users an alternative way to enter the Google ecosystem with Chrome integration for Google Drive, Photos and Maps.