GoogleUpdater is a service that helps keep Chrome up to date. It regularly checks for new updates, and installs them when they're available.
When GoogleUpdater checks for updates, it sends Google information about your:
- Release channel
- Basic hardware information
- Current version of Chrome and the length of time it was installed
- Whether you recently used Chrome or the Chrome Apps Launcher
Chrome also sends a non-unique 4-letter tag to Google that contains information about how you obtained Chrome. This information helps Google understand how people install Chrome. It is used to ensure that you get the correct software updates.
On mobile versions of Chrome, updates are managed through the Google Play Store on Android or Apple App Store on iOS. However, Chrome still uses Google's servers to count active installations and to notify you when your version of Chrome is out of date.
Chrome extensions and applications are also kept up to date with a similar system to the one used to update Chrome. These update requests include similar information, such as the application ID, whether the application was recently used, and how long it has been installed. Google uses this information to understand the popularity and use of applications and extensions.