With the Galaxy S9 getting ready to populate carrier shelves, a new generation of users are about to be exposed to Samsung's suite of Android apps. Fear and loathing may be our go-to emotions when encountering most pre-installed bloat, but Samsung's collection of software is actually not that objectionable, as we noted when reviewing the Galaxy S9. Maybe the crown jewel there is the Samsung Internet browser, and today we're learning about the newest safety and performance features to hit the development branch of this app, with the release of Samsung Internet 7.2 Beta.

What's waiting to tempt you down this beta path? If you're among the many of us paranoid about malware or getting tricked by a deceptive website, Samsung's introducing a protected browsing mode that verifies the pages you're visiting against a list of known nasties (with a little help from Google).

For sites you're still interested in visiting, but maybe don't want to see with so many ads or would prefer not to let them track you, Samsung's tweaking the way content blockers can be added to its browser. When running this new beta on Samsung devices with the Galaxy Apps store present, you can easily install blockers right from within Samsung Internet itself.

 

Viewing news in Reader mode (left), saving a web app (right)

One of the best things about Samsung Internet is that it's built on a dependable Chromium core, and this release updates the engine to Chromium M59. That move promises enhanced rendering performance, especially with demanding content like web-based games.

It won't be an issue with the Galaxy S9, but less well-equipped hardware will benefit from a more memory-efficient tab switcher (designed for sub-1GB handsets). We also see one-touch URL-bar access to reformat news articles for the browser's Reader mode, and a similar one-tap interface for saving web apps to your home screen.

The new Samsung Internet 7.2 Beta is currently spreading to users through the Play Store, or you can jump right to the chase with an APK Mirror sideload.

Version: 7.2.10.12

Source: Samsung Internet Developers