Google Chrome 51 is now stable for all, ready to download

If you haven’t been keeping track of the latest browser update numbers, we can’t blame you, because Google Chrome has just updated to version 51.

With such a large number comes a slew of updates too, and a total of 42 security fixes, states the Google Chrome team on its blog.

The release is available for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux platforms, but what new features does it bring to your desktop?

For one, version 51 brings support for the new Credential Management API, which is essentially the company’s first step to revamping and eventually killing password inputs. Websites can interact directly with Google Chrome, and developers can allow users to “sign in with just one tap”, or even sign users back in when a session expires.

The browser also claims to reduce power consumption, thanks to a revamped off-screen frame rendering system. This means that videos, images and other media not showing on screen will not be rendered unnecessarily.

Google Chrome 51 arrives as its closest rival, Mozilla Firefox, surpasses Internet Explorer’s usage numbers for the first time in its history. Chrome, however, remains the most used browser worldwide.