Google Chrome has moved from a four-week to a two-week major release schedule with the rollout of Chrome 153 across desktop, iOS and Android. Google says the faster cadence will help deliver security fixes sooner while allowing new browser features to reach users more quickly.
The change follows Google’s announcement earlier this year that Chrome would double the frequency of major releases. Chrome previously switched from a six-week cycle to four weeks in 2021 as Google sought to shorten the time between software changes and their arrival on users’ devices.
Google Targets a Smaller Security Patch Gap
Security is a major reason for the faster schedule. Google explained in its Chrome security strategy that AI-assisted security research and community reports are increasing the number of vulnerabilities and fixes that its teams need to process.
Once a vulnerability is fixed in Chrome’s public open-source code, attackers can examine that change before the patch reaches most users. Google calls this period the “patch gap,” during which a known vulnerability can potentially be targeted in an N-day attack.
Reducing the time between major releases gives Google another way to shrink that window. Chrome will continue receiving security updates between major versions, while Google is also testing security releases as often as twice per week to respond to faster-moving threats.
The Chrome Release team has already begun distributing Chrome 153, which includes stability and performance improvements alongside the new release cadence.
Faster Updates Also Speed Up New Features
The two-week cycle will also allow Google to distribute product changes more frequently. That has become increasingly relevant as the company adds AI features to Chrome and iterates on them after launch.
Chrome is facing competition from browsers including Brave, Dia, Opera Neon, Perplexity’s Comet and DuckDuckGo. OpenAI previously entered the browser market with ChatGPT Atlas, although that product has since been discontinued.
Other browser developers are also shortening their update cycles. Mozilla, Microsoft and Brave have begun adopting two-week schedules, bringing their development cadence closer to Chrome’s.
Chrome’s release process has gradually accelerated over time. Google established its “release early, release often” approach more than a decade ago, then reduced the browser’s six-week cycle to four weeks in 2021 before making the latest shift with Chrome 153.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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