About two weeks ago, Google announced a stable channel update for Chrome OS 86. While many Chromebooks and Chromeboxes got the update, I didn’t at the time. I still can’t get it on the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 review unit. It turned out, neither of most other devices.
Indeed, most supported devices now show Chrome OS 85 as the most recent stable channel version available on the official Chrome OS release Matrix site. Here is a sample showing the current status of some devices:
I know that many Chromebooks on the Update Metrics site actually showed Chrome OS 86 as the most recent stable channel version in the last few weeks. If it was available for your device and you upgraded, you still have Chrome OS 86. They are currently unable to update.
Google’s Chrome OS release blog has no information explaining the situation; At least not at the moment. But it is clear that Chrome OS 86 is stretched for many devices. Indeed, the blue shading featuring Chrome OS 86 for the Lilovo Duet Chromebook in the image above means that its software software version is “newer than most” at the bottom of the release metrics site.
Without any official indication of what’s happening, I’m wondering if this pullback is with the zero-day exploits Chrome reported earlier this week. Apparently, this version was solved with an update for both Chrome and Chrome OS as part of version 86. I say obviously, mainly because I don’t have Chrome OS have 86. So who knows?
If nothing else, this really highlights why it makes sense for Google to decommission Chrome and Chrome OS updates, which it has begun to do with Lacrosse efforts.
It uses a separate Chrome browser for work-in progress project Linux but integrated with Chrome OS. This way if there is a high priority Chrome issue, Google can fix it and force the update on Chrome without working on the Chrome OS software software update.
I would be pleased if someone who has installed the Chrome OS 86 static channel update on their device now sees that Before Version is the latest on the Chrome OS release metrics. Let me know
