Google Apps Opts to Support Newer Browsers as of August
June 07, 2011
By Ed Silverstein, TMCnet Contributor
Google (News - Alert) Apps will soon support newer browsers rather than the older versions. Come August 1, Google Apps will no longer support Firefox 3.5, Internet Explorer 7, and Safari 3 – and their predecessors, the company said in a recent blog post.
When using older browsers, users may find trouble with features in Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Talk, Google Docs and Google Sites, the blog post said. In fact, eventually the apps may stop working, the blog post adds.
In addition, Google Apps will support current and prior “major” releases of Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari on a “rolling basis,” the blog said. When a new version is released, Google Apps will support the updated version and stop supporting the third-oldest version, according to the blog post.
“For web applications to spring even farther ahead of traditional software, our teams need to make use of new capabilities available in modern browsers,” the blog post adds. “For example, desktop notifications for Gmail and drag-and-drop file upload in Google Docs require advanced browsers that support HTML5. Older browsers just don’t have the chops to provide you with the same high-quality experience.”
Also, Google Apps recommends that users get the latest version of a browser. These include: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari.
“As the world moves more to the web, these new browsers are more than just a modern convenience, they are a necessity for what the future holds,” comments Venkat Panchapakesan, vice president of Engineering, at Google Apps.
EWeek.com notes that, “There is precedent for this at Google, which last year shed support for the much-maligned but ubiquitous IE6 in Google Docs and Google Sites.”
"Many other companies have already stopped supporting older browsers like Microsoft (News - Alert) Internet Explorer 6.0 as well as browsers that are not supported by their own manufacturers," Google Apps Senior Product Manager Rajen Sheth said last year regarding IE6, according to eWeek.com.
In a related matter, TMCnet reported that voice specialist Acapela Group (News - Alert) recently introduced its first HTML5 talking demonstration on Google Chrome.
Ed Silverstein is a TMCnet contributor. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Carrie Schmelkin