Overview
- Google is testing a Chrome 148 feature that waits to load audio and video until users scroll near them.
- The setting is planned to be on by default across desktop, Android, and iOS if it ships as expected.
- Pages can feel usable sooner because Chrome no longer fetches media that sits out of view when a page first opens.
- YouTube embeds are unchanged because they use iframes, while this targets audio and video elements placed directly in the page.
- Reports point to a mid-April rollout and note that other Chromium browsers should gain it too, though sites must add the needed code for benefits to appear.