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| Google sets Chrome end of support date on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 |
Google has decided to end support for Chrome browser on Windows 7 PCs to encourage users to update to the latest version of Microsoft's operating system.
In a post on Google Chrome Help, the support page for Chrome, the US tech giant said that due to the release date of Chrome version 110 (originally set for February 7, 2023), "We're thinking Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 will end officially supported."
Google added that users who want to continue receiving updates and future versions of Chrome browser should be using Windows 10 or later.
According to the company, this support corresponds to the date that Microsoft itself will end Windows 7 ESU and extended support for Windows 8.1 on January 10, 2023.
Google clarified that older versions of Chrome will continue to work on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, but users will no longer receive browser updates after version 110 is released.
"If you're currently running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, we encourage you to move to a supported version of Windows by that date to ensure you continue to have the latest security updates and Chrome features," the company said.
It is worth noting that the Chrome browser has been dominating the Internet browser market for about 10 years, both on desktop and mobile devices.
According to StatCounter, Chrome's global share of the browser market is 65.7%, so for desktop and mobile, and for desktop only, this share is 67.34%.
According to the same site, Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 occupy more than 13% of the Windows browser market.
It is worth noting that Microsoft released Windows 7 in 2009 and then ended support in early 2020, but according to statistics from last year, more than 100 million devices are still running the system.