Chrome 115 was released to the public on July 18th, and Google has now announced it will gradually implement a Privacy Sandbox toolkit for Chrome developers. This new toolkit will replace third-party tracking cookies with API alternatives designed to protect and preserve user privacy.
Google still has a long way to go before its plan is fully realized, but the Privacy Sandbox is a significant milestone in the journey toward cookie-free browsing. Google intends to implement its toolkit next week. The API will initially only be released to a select few Chrome developers. But as bugs are ironed out and the service improves, more users will gain access to the new system.
Google initially projected it would eliminate all third-party cookies by the end of 2023, but frequent delays, issues, and investigations significantly delayed their project. The tech giant managed to overcome the roadblocks set by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in 2022. Now, provided there are no further delays, Google has stated they intend to phase out third-party cookies entirely by Q3 2024.