Samsung opens its browser to all Android users, with ad-tracking blocker, night mode
Video: Samsung app will turn phone into Linux PC
Along with Chrome, Firefox and other browsers, all phones running Android 5.0 or newer can now for the first time use the Samsung Internet browser.
Following a recent beta, Samsung's developers have released a stable version of Samsung Internet for Android version 6.2, which is now available to download on Google Play and the Galaxy Apps store.
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Samsung Internet was originally built for Galaxy devices, but recently expanded to Pixel and Nexus devices and now includes support for all devices running on Android 5.0 and higher.
The new browser features night mode for easier reading in bed at nights, as well as a new accessibility feature called high-contrast mode that displays white text on a dark background.
Samsung is using privacy and control to differentiate its browser. It allows users to install and manage their preferred ad-blocking service from the Settings menu, and includes a new built-in ad tracking blocker, which uses a tracking filter provided by privacy-focused developer Disconnect. The blocker is on by default when the browser is set to Secret Mode.
For developers, Samsung highlights that its new browser supports CSS Grid, which comes by way of an upgrade to the browser's Chromium engine to M56.
Samsung boasts that it contributes to bug fixes and the development of Chromium features, which allowed to back-port CSS Grid support from M57.
It's also working on bringing support for Google Cardboard and other headsets through the Mozilla-led WebVR standard, and adding support for the Web Bluetooth API that can be used to control Bluetooth devices from the browser. Both these features can be enabled via flags.
Finally, Samsung's loyalty program for Samsung Pay users, Samsung Rewards, has been running in the US for nearly a year. Samsung Internet users can now earn rewards by using the browser, but this is only an option for those with devices that are eligible for Samsung Pay, which are limited to Galaxy phones.
Samsung's Internet browser features night mode for easier reading in bed, and high-contrast mode that displays white text on a dark background.
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