Gmail users be warned. If you are using the Chrome browser version 53 or older, Gmail functionality will be going away at the end of 2017. A post in Google’s G Suite blog last week explains the whys, hows and who will be affected.
Google cites security risks and user vulnerability as the main reason behind the move. The Chrome browser, much like its Chrome OS counterpart, receives regular updates to provide bug fixes, security patches and enhancements and systems that do not support newer versions of the browser would be exempt from such updates.
Systems that will be mainly affected are those using Windows XP and Windows Vista. Microsoft discontinued support for the older versions in 2015 and therefore only have access to Chrome v. 49 and below.
While support for Gmail will remain until the end of the year, the announcement states that users not on the most current release of Chrome may be redirected to the HTML version at the beginning of December.
If you are on a managed system that does not have the most recent version of Chrome Google recommends your administrator update your systems as soon as possible. For users on out-of-date operating systems, an upgrade is not only recommended but necessary to continuing to use Gmail on Chrome.
For more details on the update head to the G Suite blog.
We here at Chrome Unboxed would like to add a recommendation to prevent future compatibility issues with this and any other Google products.
Just buy a Chromebook. Problem solved. 🙂