A serious and very annoying bug afflicting the latest version of Chrome for Android 10 and causes many other apps to malfunction, which suddenly seem to lose user data. The users potentially affected by this bug are already tens of millions around the world.
La Chrome version at issue is 79 and the problem lies in the Android System WebView component, which has been updated along with other Chrome components with the new version. The problem is not a small one because version 79, in addition to bringing the bug in Android System WebView, also brings to the user several benefits such as a increased anti phishing protection and the ability to reorder Favorites. The bug was reported on the Chromium Project developer community forum, but Google has not yet posted a patch to fix it. However, Big G recognized the problem and admitted that it is a serious bug, which was given the highest priority.
What is Android WebView and what is it for
Android System WebView is a system component, part of the Chrome API that allow apps that do not have a browser integrated within them to view web pages thanks to this pre-compiled code. There are apps that use Android System WebView for this there are thousands and all are potentially affected by the bug.
What doesn't work in Android System WebView
The problem, reported by several authors, is that apps that use this Chrome component to display web pages within them lose user data. In practice, many of these apps, after the update, ask the user to login again, they no longer show the customized settings or any data saved by the user. The lost data is not only that collected while browsing online via Android System WebView, but all that collected by the app.
Google doesn't have the solution yet
A Google engineer admitted the problem and responded to the complaints of the developers saying that this bug was given the highest priority, that about 50% of the devices compatible with the Chrome update have already been updated (so hundreds of millions around the world) and that Google is "already working to find a solution that minimizes data loss and can be safely released". Then, however, he admitted that there it will take 5-7 days again. Meanwhile, the inconvenience to users could continue.
Do not install Chrome 79, you may lose all app data
