This new Data Saver extension for Chrome helps you reduce data usage by compressing the pages you visit. It could come in handy if you sometimes go online from your laptop via a mobile hotspot or your smartphone.
Google’s data compression feature first showed up in March 2013 as part of the Chrome 26 beta release for Android. It was labeled “experimental” for many months, and only officially arrived for mobile users in January 2014 with the launch of Chrome 32 for Android and iOS.
Here’s the extension’s official description:
"Reduces data usage by using Google servers to optimize pages you visit. Browse more for less!
When this extension is enabled, Chrome will use Google servers to compress pages you visit before downloading them. SSL and incognito pages will not be included."
At the time, Google promised the service could reduce data usage by up to 50 percent while browsing the web on a mobile device. Yet the feature still isn’t widely used because it is turned off by default.
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If you’re on a poor Internet connection or just want to avoid an annoying data cap, you could give this extension a shot. We’re not sure if the “up to 50 percent” figure will hold up for the desktop, and so we’ve reached out to Google for more information.
The feature is certainly much more useful on mobile: It can save you money if you’re on a tight data plan, in addition to speeding up page loads and beefing up security. Chances are that browsing on the desktop is already quite speedy for most people, and Google’s Safe Browsing feature is already built into Chrome for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Data Saver is currently in beta and doesn't support secure (HTTPS) pages or incognito pages. It's available already on Chrome for Android and iOS, though, and now you can turn it on for your computer.
