With the phasing out of third-party cookies by browsers like Chrome, marketers are challenged to deliver relevant content without relying solely on cookies. The change will prompt a shift towards contextual advertising strategies that prioritize audience context over behavioral data. It presents an opportunity to create more meaningful interactions and better targeting accuracy in the cookieless future.

Google has delayed its plans to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome, citing the need for more time due to industry and regulatory pressure. Despite assurances that it wouldn't backtrack on its timeline, Google did not announce a new date, but mentioned it would not meet its target of deprecating cookies during the second half of Q4 this year.

Google is developing a two-hop proxy to enhance privacy for Chrome users, a move that has major implications for advertisers. For ad location targeting, advertisers will only have the option to target regions designated by Google, which won't be accurate. The proxy will mask users' identities, meaning advertisers will not be able to distinguish between genuine and bot traffic. Google is increasing its collection of uniquely valuable location data, which could increase advertising costs.

Google is introducing "Minimized Custom Tabs" to its Chrome browser, enabling users to seamlessly switch between web content and native apps via a picture-in-picture window, which enhances app engagement and user retention. This feature is part of Chrome's latest update and aims to improve the web experience on Android.

Google will begin phasing out Manifest V2 on the Chrome Beta, Dev, and Canary channels starting on June 3. Extensions will still work, but Google says it will disable them in browsers in the coming months before removing the ability to use them completely. A full rollout is scheduled for the beginning of 2025. Manifest V3 has faced pushback over concerns it could limit the effectiveness of ad blockers. Google has attempted to address developers' main concerns by adding support for user scripts and increasing the number of rule sets for an API used by ad blocking extensions.

Chrome has reintroduced full prerendering of pages to improve navigation speed by using the address bar, bookmarks, search suggestions, and the Speculation Rules API. This feature enables near-instant page loads by opening pages in a hidden background tab and activating them when needed.

Google announced it will no longer phase out third-party cookies in its Chrome browser, citing the need for more comprehensive solutions that balance user privacy and industry requirements. This decision comes after multiple delays and feedback from advertisers and regulators indicating that the transition was more complex than anticipated. Instead, Google will implement a new system that allows users to make informed choices about their web browsing privacy settings.

Google plans to introduce a prompt asking users to opt in or out of cookies in Chrome. The company's choice of wording for the prompt could have widespread implications for the industry. It could result in cookies being effectively deprecated because consumers opt out. Google still plans to develop and test its Privacy Sandbox, a suite of alternative technologies to the cookie.

Chrome is preparing to make Manifest V3 compulsory for extensions that want to run on its platform. Some users recently reported seeing warnings telling them that certain extensions may no longer be supported. V2 extensions started being disabled in early June on the Beta, Dev, and Canary update channels. Users will still be able to manually re-enable V2 extensions for a short time.

Google has enhanced Chrome with new features to help users organize tabs across desktop and mobile devices. Tab groups, already available for Android and desktop, are now rolling out on iOS, allowing custom-labeled groupings on iPhones and iPads for better organization. Synced tab groups enable users to access their grouped tabs across multiple devices, facilitating smoother transitions between phone and desktop activities. Google is also testing a feature that suggests previously opened websites across devices to reduce the need for bookmarks.