Chrome 59 for Android loads pages faster with updated JavaScript engine

Following yesterday’s release to Mac, Windows, and Linux, Chrome 59 is now rolling out to Android. Google notes faster page loading and less memory usage in this version, as well as other stability fixes and security patches.

An updated JavaScript engine is responsible for pages loading faster while less memory is consumed. Back in April, Google touted improvements in JavaScript page load performance due to the development of a new metric that better quantifies real-world usage.

As a result of this optimization, Chrome has loaded pages 10-20% faster over the past year by optimizing for startup times. At the time, Google noted that real-world performance would be better accounted for during engine architecture design. JavaScript performance would also be improved by including modern libraries and frameworks.

This version also adds full support for animated PNGs. APNGs are similar to GIFs, but with support for both 24-bit images and 8-bit transparency. Long supported by Mozilla’s Firefox, the format is gaining traction after Apple adopted it for iMessage apps in iOS 10.

Chrome 59 for Android is rolling out via the Play Store and will be available over the course of the next week.