Google Chrome will no longer support any 32-bit Linux distribution from March, 2016.
The change, which brings the platform in line with that of Mac OS X, applies to all x86 Linux builds, regardless of underlying Linux distribution or version number.
Users affected can continue to use the Chrome browser once the axe has fallen, but will not receive any updates going forward.
In a double-whammy of bad news, March is also when Google Chrome will stop supporting Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (a distro that will receive critical and security bug fixes from Canonical until mid-2017, which is a bit of a blow).
‘Ubuntu users are advised to upgrade to a 64-bit version of Ubuntu 14.04 LTS or later’
From March, only 64-bit versions of Ubuntu 14.04 LTS and above later will receive ongoing updates to the browser from Google.
To run a supported version of Google Chrome, those on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS are advised to upgrade to a 64-bit version of Ubuntu 14.04 LTS (or later).
Why Won’t Chrome Support 32-bit Linux?
The Google Chrome Linux team is moderately small, and the range and variety of Linux distributions large. It can’t support everything, forever.
Given that Linux marketshare is modest and only a small percentage of Chrome’s user base, and that 32-bit Linux users are but an even-smaller percentage within, priorities lay elsewhere for Google.
Building, packaging and testing Google Chrome is not zero-sum. The infrastructure and automation churns out hundreds of binaries each day, with human effort needed to vet, check and test those binaries prior to release.
“To provide the best experience for the most-used Linux versions, we will end support for Google Chrome on 32-bit Linux, Ubuntu Precise (12.04), and Debian 7 (wheezy) in early March, 2016,” Chromium engineer Dirk Pranke says in a Google Groups message.
32-bit Chromium is Not Affected
‘Chromium is unaffected by the change.’
Many Linux users run Chromium, the open-source basis of Chrome. But they will not be affected by this change. Similarly, neither 32-bit Google Chrome builds for ARM or Chrome OS builds are being put out to pasture.
For browsers built on Chromium, like Opera, it will be up to them whether they continue to offer provided official builds for 32-bit users.
Google says it will “keep support for 32-bit build configurations on Linux to support building Chromium” for, we’re told, ‘some time to come’.
But as 64-bit ARM picks up pace too, expect to see more software end support for 32-bit systems in the coming years.
Do you use Google Chrome on a 32-bit version of Linux? Will you switch to another browser? Perhaps you think this decision is logical. Whatever your view on this decision you can share it in the comments below.