'downloads' requires Google Chrome dev channel or newer, and this is the stable channel

Question

I'm making a Chrome extension to automatically offer a saveAs box when clicked. I have found this on the API, but as soon I added the 'downloads' to the premissions I get the warning:

There were warnings when trying to install this extension:

* 'downloads' requires Google Chrome dev channel or newer, and this is the stable channel.

I have no idea what channels are, and how I change them.

What is that? Does that mean that anyone who downloads this extension will also have the headache of changing the channel?

My sample code:

window.onload = function(){
    alert(chrome);
    alert(chrome.downloads);
    chrome.downloads.download(
        {url: 'http://www.iana.org/_img/iana-logo-pageheader.png',
         saveAs: true
        },
        function(res){alert(res);});
}

Answer 1

The majority of the users are on the Stable channel, because this is the default.

If you want to use bleeding-edge features, get the Dev or Canary builds. More information on using a different release channel can be found on chromium.org at Chrome Release Channels.