a Google Chrome update changes the way you search on mobile so you can find the information you’re looking for faster than before. A total of four new features are introduced.
Starting at the top, Chrome will now show relevant search suggestions when you tap the address bar on certain websites. Google’s example is to imagine yourself “reading an article about Japan while planning an upcoming trip.” Tapping on the URL of the article brings up a section called Related to this page below with “suggestions for other searches” from local tourist attractions to restaurants. This feature will be available on both iOS and Android.
System exclusive
What’s not coming to iOS (at least initially) is a list of all trending Google searches for a day. You can view the list by tapping the address bar on a newly opened tab. The company says this will hit Android phones first. Chrome on iOS will get the same later this year, though no exact date has been given.
Third in the Chrome update is the seemingly exclusive upgrade to Touch to Search on Android. In the future, when you highlight text on a website, a carousel of related topics will appear at the bottom of the page, so you can quickly learn more about that topic. There’s a chance you won’t be able to see the carousel because Touch to Search may be disabled. Detailed instructions on how to activate the tool can be found at the Chrome Help website.
And finally, “type in the Chrome address bar” in the iOS app now shows 10 suggestions instead of six. The Android app has had this feature for a while. This is just Google updating the iPhone version so it’s similar.
Potential desktop changes
The company says all four updates are currently making their way to all users, so keep an eye out for the patch when it arrives.
As for Chrome on desktop, there’s nothing new officially. However, one report from TheVerge reveals that the download drawer in the web browser is in fact undergoing some changes. A ring animation will now appear showing the progress of a download. In addition, the tray will list every file “you’ve downloaded in the last 24 hours,” alongside options to pause, resume, retry, or cancel the download.
It is unknown when the desktop changes will be released. As we mentioned, Google hasn’t said a word about it. We’ve asked the company for more information on the download tray upgrade and for clarification on some of the mobile features. We wanted to know if it plans to expand the Touch to Search carousel to iOS, among other things. This story will be updated at a later date.