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piunikaweb.bsky.social
PiunikaWeb - your daily source of web browser news
@piunikaweb.bsky.social
We bring you the latest developments from the web browser world along with our own first-hand experience of the features, bugs, etc that we report on.
Google is piloting Search Console payouts to select publishers whose work feeds Gemini and AI Overviews. But is it a sustainable model for independent creators, or just hush money for eroding open web traffic?

Our breakdown of the situation: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/17/g...
Google broke open web browsing and is now offering some publishers payouts in return
Google tests paying select publishers through Search Console as Gemini and AI Overviews replace traditional web browsing clicks.
piunikaweb.com
September 17, 2026 at 12:32 PM
Think you have to manually approve browser extensions? A new malware campaign bypasses Chrome and Edge security checks to force-install spyware that logs keystrokes, passwords, and active sessions.

piunikaweb.com/2026/09/17/c...
Sneaky malware can force rogue extensions onto Chrome and Edge without your consent
A sneaky new malware operation can force rogue extensions onto Chrome and Edge without your consent to steal passwords and online banking credentials.
piunikaweb.com
September 17, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Microsoft Edge 153 is causing web apps to freeze and ignore mouse or keyboard input. While Chrome has already patched the underlying Chromium bug, Microsoft advises affected Edge users to temporarily roll back to version 152 while a fix is investigated.

piunikaweb.com/2026/09/17/e...
Edge users told to revert to version 152 as Microsoft investigates input freezes
Microsoft Edge 153 is freezing web apps and ignoring mouse input. Microsoft recommends rolling back to version 152 while engineers investigate the Chromium glitch.
piunikaweb.com
September 17, 2026 at 10:17 AM
Mozilla has partnered with Mistral AI to power Firefox's new Smart Window assistant, bringing private, multilingual tab and search navigation with zero user data retention.

Full story: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/16/m...
Mistral AI has partnered with Mozilla to bring Firefox Smart Window with private, multilingual AI
Mistral and Mozilla have partnered to power Firefox Smart Window with private, multilingual AI in France & North America. Other countries soon.
piunikaweb.com
September 17, 2026 at 10:16 AM
Helium browser has rolled out a fix for the bug wiping user extensions and logins after updates. Version 0.17.0 adds safeguards to prevent future resets, though previously lost data won't auto-restore.

Details: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/16/h...
Helium browser dev says fix for rare bug that nuked user extensions and logins is live
A rare bug in Helium browser deleted extensions and login sessions after updates. The developer confirms version 0.17.0 brings safeguards to fix the issue.
piunikaweb.com
September 17, 2026 at 10:14 AM
Chrome and Edge malware can force install extension without you knowing
www.youtube.com/shorts/1QCZY...
Chrome and Edge malware can force install extension without you knowing
YouTube video by PiunikaWeb - your daily source of web browser news
www.youtube.com
September 17, 2026 at 10:08 AM
Microsoft Edge freezing using web apps on version 153, rollback suggested
www.youtube.com/shorts/BXPxO...
Microsoft Edge freezing using web apps on version 153, rollback suggested
YouTube video by PiunikaWeb - your daily source of web browser news
www.youtube.com
September 17, 2026 at 8:59 AM
Google is rolling out Chrome v153 to patch 42 security vulnerabilities, including 3 critical flaws involving memory handling and WebGL that could let attackers escape the browser sandbox.

Details: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/16/g...
Latest Chrome update addresses 42 security flaws with 3 marked critical
Google rolls out a major Chrome update patching 42 security vulnerabilities, including 3 critical flaws. Update your desktop browser now to stay safe.
piunikaweb.com
September 16, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Firefox 157 Beta is out! 🦊

It fixes washed-out 8-bit HDR playback on Windows, resolves audio/video sync glitches when changing playback speeds, and ensures vertical tabs slide back out smoothly in fullscreen mode.

piunikaweb.com/2026/09/16/f...
Firefox 157 enters beta testing with fixes for dull HDR playback and audio sync glitches
Firefox 157 enters beta testing with fixes for dull 8-bit HDR video playback, audio sync issues, vertical tabs, and recent searches on Android.
piunikaweb.com
September 16, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Google Chrome is rolling out experimental CrUX metrics to measure website ad clutter. The new tools track on-screen ad density, viewport coverage, network data usage, and CPU load to put cold numbers on intrusive ad layouts.

Here's the full story: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/16/c...
Google Chrome rolls out experimental metrics to track website ad clutter
Google Chrome adds experimental CrUX metrics to track website ad clutter, measuring visible ads, screen density, and data usage across the web.
piunikaweb.com
September 16, 2026 at 12:29 PM
Brave for Android v1.95 is officially rolling out, introducing Material You dynamic color palette support to match your wallpaper theme. The update also brings large-screen layout improvements and an option to opt out of rating prompts.

Details: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/15/b...
Brave v1.95 is out for Android with dynamic color palette support
Brave for Android v1.95 brings Material You colors from your wallpaper, along with stability improvements and Chromium v153.
piunikaweb.com
September 16, 2026 at 12:28 PM
Orion browser for iOS just rolled out version 1.5.3, delivering a major batch of stability fixes for multi-tab crashes, interface bug patches, and built-in Orion+ account management.

Details: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/15/o...
Orion browser update arrives with a huge list of bug fixes and improvements on iOS
Orion 1.5.3 lets you manage Orion+ inside the app, patches a lot of app crashes, fixes the vanishing address bar issue, & iOS layout bugs.
piunikaweb.com
September 16, 2026 at 12:26 PM
Perplexity has quietly locked Comet’s standout "Control browser" feature behind paid Computer credits. Even with an active Pro subscription, users now have to pay extra to automate web tasks.

Full story: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/15/p...
Perplexity just gave paying Comet subscribers another huge reason to abandon the browser
Perplexity has locked Comet's core browser control behind Computer credits, sparking backlash from paying Pro subscribers who feel sidelined.
piunikaweb.com
September 16, 2026 at 12:25 PM
Safari 27 brings over 1,000 bug fixes alongside its headline features, tackling major annoyances like jumpy page loading via native scroll anchoring, iPhone PDF zoom snapping, and Google Docs input glitches.

Details: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/15/s...
Over 1,000 bug fixes make Safari 27 a much bigger update than it looks
Apple released Safari 27 with over 1,000 under-the-hood fixes that tackle jumpy scrolling, broken PDF navigation, and everyday browsing bugs on Apple devices.
piunikaweb.com
September 16, 2026 at 4:24 AM
Firefox 156 is rolling out on Android with a built-in browser VPN (50 GB free/month across 29 countries), scrubbable notification media controls, and the native Android 14+ share sheet.

Full story: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/15/f...
Firefox 156 begins rolling out on Android with built-in VPN alongside new media controls
Mozilla begins rolling out Firefox 156 for Android, introducing a built-in VPN with 50GB of free data alongside overhauled media controls.
piunikaweb.com
September 16, 2026 at 4:05 AM
Firefox 156 is officially rolling out! The new update slashes RAM and CPU usage by downscaling large images during decoding, speeds up the built-in PDF viewer launch times by up to 45%, and adds an auto-launch on startup option for macOS.

piunikaweb.com/2026/09/15/f...
Firefox 156 desktop update stops high resolution images from hogging your RAM
Firefox 156 is live on desktop with smarter image decoding to cut RAM usage, up to 45 percent faster PDF loading, and Mac startup settings.
piunikaweb.com
September 15, 2026 at 12:34 PM
Waterfox v6.7.3 is out! 🦊

Key updates:
• Auto-hide vertical tabs (sidebar expands on hover)
• Stops tabs from widening during audio playback
• Fixes for classic extensions and active tab highlighting

Our coverage: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/14/w...
Waterfox v6.7.3 brings auto-hide for vertical tabs and some appearance fixes
Waterfox 6.7.3 adds auto-hiding vertical tabs, fixes some sidebar issues, patches up extension flaws, and more.
piunikaweb.com
September 15, 2026 at 12:29 PM
You can now sync unpinned tabs across devices (opt-in), alongside noticeable performance tweaks and battery life improvements during daily browsing.

Details: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/14/z...
Zen browser update adds regular tab sync option coupled with performance and battery life gains
The latest Zen Browser update adds an optional toggle to sync regular tabs across devices while delivering battery and performance gains.
piunikaweb.com
September 15, 2026 at 12:28 PM
Firefox for iOS is rolling out a new "Background Audio" toggle, allowing YouTube and other web videos to keep playing even after minimizing the browser. Details on how to turn it on: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/14/f...
Firefox for iOS can now keep YouTube audio playing in the background
Firefox for iOS is getting a Background Audio toggle so YouTube and similar sites can keep playing the audio even after you leave the app.
piunikaweb.com
September 15, 2026 at 8:16 AM
Aside's AI browser is now officially available on Windows, beating rival Dia to release and delivering near-total feature parity with the Mac build.

Our coverage: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/14/a...
Aside rolls out Windows version with near-total Mac feature parity - PiunikaWeb
Aside has officially launched its AI browser on Windows with 99% feature parity with macOS, beating Dia to desktop PCs. Here is what you need to know.
piunikaweb.com
September 15, 2026 at 8:10 AM
Firefox update 156 stops high resolution images from hogging your RAM and more
www.youtube.com/shorts/7EfDC...
Firefox update 156 stops high resolution images from hogging your RAM and more
YouTube video by PiunikaWeb - your daily source of web browser news
www.youtube.com
September 15, 2026 at 7:52 AM
Firefox now keep YouTube audio playing in the background on iOS
www.youtube.com/shorts/-tPvM...
Firefox now keep YouTube audio playing in the background on iOS
YouTube video by PiunikaWeb - your daily source of web browser news
www.youtube.com
September 15, 2026 at 7:01 AM
If you use "Twitch Enhanced Viewer," uninstall it now. Researchers found the extension silently routes live login tokens to Russian proxy servers, letting attackers bypass 2FA and hijack accounts.

Full story: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/14/t...
Popular Twitch ad blocker caught sending live account credentials to Russian proxies
Over 30,000 users of the Twitch Enhanced Viewer extension had their live login tokens routed through Russian proxies. Here is how to check and protect your account.
piunikaweb.com
September 14, 2026 at 12:35 PM
Brave 1.95.101 brings a built-in address bar calculator, Container improvements (hover card labels & disposable containers), and a cleaner Focus Mode that removes the top URL strip.

Get the full list of changes here: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/14/b...
Brave 1.95.101 rolls out with built-in calculator, Container upgrades, and refined Focus Mode
Brave 1.95.101 is rolling out with a built-in address bar calculator, container tab improvements, and a more refined experimental Focus Mode.
piunikaweb.com
September 14, 2026 at 12:34 PM
Not a fan of Chrome's new iOS bottom bar and its prominent "Ask Gemini" button? You can easily restore the classic layout by disabling a hidden flag in settings.

Here's how: piunikaweb.com/2026/09/14/g...
Here’s how to bring back Chrome’s old bottom bar on iOS - PiunikaWeb
Keep accidentally tapping Gemini instead of the back button? Here is how to revert Chrome's clunky new bottom bar update on iOS in just a few taps.
piunikaweb.com
September 14, 2026 at 12:15 PM