FP TrendingFeb 15, 2021 17:06:44 IST
Google is currently testing a way to lock Incognito tabs with Face or Touch ID. According to a report in 9to5Google, Chrome will now allow users to ‘Lock Incognito tabs’ so that they will be blurred in the tab switcher until the user confirms that he/she is the person using Touch or Face ID. According to Google, this is a way to add more security as one multitasks across apps. The report states that the feature is useful when allowing someone else to use one’s iPhone or iPad to perform a new search.
The ‘Lock Incognito tabs’ feature is yet to be available for all beta users.
The report adds that the ability to lock Chrome’s Incognito tabs is similar to a feature in the main Google Search app that uses biometrics to confirm it’s the user when returning to an incognito session after a span of 15 minutes.
Google Drive has a similar ‘Privacy Screen’ that requires a fingerprint or face confirmation every time one opens a file storage app. However, there is an option to delay the authentication by 0 seconds, one minute, or 10 minutes when multitasking.
However, the ‘Lock Incognito tabs’ feature is yet to be available for all beta users. It seems that there is a server-side component, while the public launch of Chrome 89 is expected next month. Once it is made available, it will be controllable in Settings > Privacy > Lock Incognito tabs when the user closes Chrome.
