Google in the latest update for Chrome OS has added the ability to control your music or podcasts from the lock screen, and manage your privacy settings across apps more easily. The controls for music and podcasts are available on your Chromebook’s lock screen, making it easier for you to control your audio content even when your device is locked.
The new feature works with YouTube Music, Spotify, iHeartRadio, dozens of other apps, and on any media played through Chrome browser. The company now also allows you to see and manage the settings for different types of apps on Chromebook including Play Store apps, web applications, system apps, etc.
'There’s now a dedicated “Manage your apps” button within the homepage of your Settings. Click it and you’ll land on a menu that gives you a holistic view of the apps on your Chromebook. Further click on it will display whether you’ve granted an app permission to your location, microphone, camera, and more,' Google said in a blog post.
Google is also reported to working on a standalone media player app for Chrome OS, which will be a System Web App (SWA). Chrome OS doesn’t have a built-in media player till now and all the photos and videos were viewed through Files app.
According to media reports, Chrome OS Canary’s latest version will soon come with a media app that can be accessed from chrome://media-app. As of now, the app, which is in the testing phase only consists of a simple dialog that says you can ‘Drag and drop a file or select open’ and an ‘open’ button. While videos are running fine, you won’t find much controls. Similarly for photos, a few basic image editing options are available.
