Google’s synchronization functions are only intended for Chrome. Therefore, an API that was previously used by Chromium-based browsers is now blocked in order to also offer the functions. Browser providers can only go up to 15. March to access Google’s “private Chrome APIs”. This affects more than synchronization.

In the short blog post, Google does not explain which other browsers are affected. “Chrome Sync and Click to Call are for Google only.” Some users would have been able to log in to their Google account with third-party providers and synchronize bookmarks and history. Those affected can still access their data, but via their Google account. Locally stored data will still be available locally. To get an insight, there is the “My Activities” page, and your own data can be downloaded via Google Takeout. According to a recent review, Google only found out that the API was being used.

The blocking also applies to Google’s spelling correction, the translator and the contacts interface . If you look at the keys list on the Chromium project page, you could almost think that Google lost its nerve for a short time, so much is highlighted in yellow and declared as unavailable in capital letters.

Google exploited By using Google’s APIs, server capacities have also been automatically occupied, and the development of Google has been pushed forward, not under the open source umbrella . Google had already blocked other access to its own functions, such as the Hangouts API.

Chromium-based browsers include Microsoft’s new Edge, Vivaldi and Opera. Edge can sync tabs and history, but users must be signed in with a Microsoft account. It is unlikely that the data will then pass through Google. It is still unclear which browsers used the API.

What this step means for the Chromium packages offered by many Linux distributions is still unclear. Users on Reddit and in the associated Google Groups forum fear that the sync functions could be omitted for these users. Several project managers at least received an e-mail with a corresponding warning, but there is no confirmation of the step or Google denial.

More about browsers can be found in the uplink:

(emw)