Future of Chrome on Windows 7

[yoltboy01]

Google finally announced the End Of Life date for Windows 7 as well as Windows 8.1, which will be in February 2023, with the release of v110 of their Chrome browser 

 

Source: https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/185534985/sunsetting-support-for-windows-7-8-1-in-early-2023?hl=en

 

This will automatically also affect Google Chrome for Windows Vista Extended Kernel (although that might not be the biggest drama after all, since we Vista users can already be grateful that we got 61 versions higher than Chrome‘s initial EOL on Vista), Microsoft Edge for Windows 7/8.1, as well as many other Chrome forks like Opera. 
 

I hope Google only changes minor things, so that we can still run the browser, with a little tweaks here and there. If I think back to 2016, there were no ports for higher Chrome versions for Windows Vista, since we needed a kernel extension before we could run the necessary functions.

What do you think? I wish Google would also offer an ESR channel, where W7/8.1 would continue to receive only security based updates for the next 12 months to come. I‘m using Firefox and I already know that Mozilla will probably merge W7/8.1 to the next ESR channel (v110-112?) too

[Old Technology]

Here’s a question I have. Other then the big 5 (Chrome, Safari, Edge, Opera, Firefox) what browsers support Widevine DRM. I understand Disney Plus is unusable without it. This concerns me.

[Jaguarek62]

12 hours ago, yoltboy01 said:

I‘m using Firefox and I already know that Mozilla will probably merge W7/8.1 to the next ESR channel (v110-112?) too

if mozilla really does this, it will mark their end. Seriously, they learned their lesson when ending support for xp and vista

[Xack]

I feel we have 2 main options. Either have a large protest directed at Google and Mozilla, or focus on improving the extended kernels so there is "day one" support for new versions when official support drops.

[vinifera]

what about Qt-webkit based browsers ?

[j7n]

Nothing terrible will happen immediately. The last Chrome version will continue to work for a year or two. RoyTam will make a new/old Firefox to replace it. Watching commercial videos in a stuttering web browser and paying hard-earned € for it isn't a good idea in any case.

I'd rather install Win10 LTSB than an "extended kernel" if it is anything like BWC or OneCore with dozens of system files.

[Jody Thornton]

13 hours ago, Jaguarek62 said:

if mozilla really does this, it will mark their end. Seriously, they learned their lesson when ending support for xp and vista

How do you figure?  Do you see Mozilla having cut support for XP and Vista back in 2018 to be a serious downfall for that company?  I really didn't see that sort of impact to be honest.

The next ESR is 115, due in July.  I'd prefer the ESR, since you can count on that browser version for a year, without major feature changes.

[Tripredacus]

16 hours ago, j7n said:

Nothing terrible will happen immediately. The last Chrome version will continue to work for a year or two.

Chrome updates often enough for it to be an issue. Do you think Google will be ethical and disable updates on Win7 systems when this last version arrives or do you expect they will do what every other lazy developer does these days and push an unsupported update to a system thus making the software unusable? I'm not willing to bet that updates will be automatically disabled on the last version, or that they will show a prompt saying so, or block a future update to an OS-locked version.

[yoltboy01]

I‘m very curious what they will do to break compatibility with Windows 7 and 8.1. 

As I previously said in another post, I think that Mozilla will be more graceful when it comes to ending them. They ended support for XP/Vista 10 months after Google did and then pushed out security updates for another year. If v115 will be the next ESR in July, we will continue to receive Security Updates for at least another year. ESR is usually also supported for more than just 12 months (v78 had 16 months). Applying the same stats to Windows 7 would mean that Firefox should at least be supported till July - October 2024, which is still 2 years ahead.

They could also support them for a longer period of time, because Mozilla already has a low usage rate compared to Chrome, so they may be not interested in loosing more users. However, that‘s just a dream scenario, they already limited some things to Windows 10 and 11 only like Firefox VPN

[Guest vxiiduu]

There are many APIs in Windows 10 which Chrome will use, many of them are security or sandboxing related.

Just as an example off the top of my head, nested job objects is something I saw in the chromium source code.

[D.Draker]

On 10/29/2022 at 10:10 AM, vxiiduu said:

or sandboxing related

--no-sandbox

 

[Sampei.Nihira]

https://www.ghacks.net/2022/11/01/mozilla-may-extend-firefox-on-windows-7-and-8-1-support/

 

 

[yoltboy01]

5 hours ago, Sampei.Nihira said:

https://www.ghacks.net/2022/11/01/mozilla-may-extend-firefox-on-windows-7-and-8-1-support/

 

 

Hmm.. no surprise but moving Windows 7/8.1 to 102 ESR now is not a good idea in my opinion. They already run a newer version now and that would kinda be a downgrade now. Mozilla should definitly extend support till 114 ESR, so that Firefox remains supported till August-October 2024. It's highly unusual that they drop support on a regular release. It's either gonna be 102 ESR (which I highly doubt) or 114 ESR.

So sad that they don't let any door open for Windows 7 and 8.1 users. Mozilla already has a low market share and they will loose about 15% more, if they discontinue support for 7/8.1. They should re-consider and wait till there are less than 5% left. They always want to keep up with Google, but this time I don't think they should.

 

So 2023 is going to be a tough year for Windows versions lower than 10. Here is a quick summary:

 

Google Chrome: EOL February 2023

Opera: EOL February 2023

Edge: EOL February 2023

Vivaldi: EOL February 2023

Brave: EOL February 2023

Firefox: EOL August 2023/August 2024

[Jody Thornton]

Oh Vivaldi too?  Crap!  I was planning to move to it after Firefox ESR 102.  Damn!

 

[D.Draker]

10 hours ago, Jody Thornton said:

Oh Vivaldi too?  Crap!  I was planning to move to it after Firefox ESR 102.  Damn!

No wonder 'cause Vivaldi is just another chrome's clone. Along with Opera. Hence they all are out at the same time.