Google tests horizontal tab switcher in Chrome mobile
Google is testing a new feature in Chrome mobile for Android right now that changes the tab switcher from a vertical layout to a horizontal one.
When you open the list of all tabs in Google Chrome mobile right now on Android, you get the list of open tabs and the sites loaded in those tabs. The sites are stacked vertically with one site displayed fully and others in front or behind the active tab.
Touch controls are provided to scroll though the list of open tabs and to load any tab that is open using the tab switcher.
Note: Experimental features may come and go unannounced. While many make it into the stable version of Chrome eventually, the past has shown that some are removed again without being implemented at all.
The most recent version of Google Chrome Canary for Android includes an experimental feature that changes the tab switching interface of the mobile browser.
The following screenshot shows Chrome's current tab switching interface on the left and the new interface after it has been enabled in the most recent version of Chrome Canary on the right.
Here is what you need to do right now to enable the new horizontal tab switcher in Chrome Canary:
- Make sure you have the most recent version of Chrome Canary for Android installed on your device. You can run the browser next to the stable version of Chrome or any other browser.
- Start Google Chrome Canary on the device.
- Load chrome://flags in the browser's address bar.
- Search for enable horizontal tab switcher, or go to chrome://flags/#enable-horizontal-tab-switcher to jump directly to it.
- Flip the preference from "default" to "enabled".
- Restart the mobile browser with a tap on the relaunch now button.
You will notice that the display of open tabs changed when you open the list of open tabs after the restart.
The open tabs are displayed horizontally after the change; this has advantages but also disadvantages. The main advantages are that the interface looks a lot cleaner and that you see the full page content for each tab. The main disadvantage is that you see fewer tabs on the screen in the tab switcher.
I saw only one and a quarter or so tabs on the screen after switching to the new interface; if you open lots of tabs, you may need to use more swipe motions to find and switch to a tab open in the browser.
Closing Words
I try to keep the number of open sites to a minimum on mobile devices to preserve memory. That's the main reason why I don't mind the change. Chrome users who open a dozen or more tabs in Chrome for Android may not like the change as much as provides less of an overview of open tabs and requires more touch actions to find and open tabs open in Chrome.
Now You: What is your take on the horizontal layout of open tabs in Chrome mobile?
Uhh, this has already been possible – I am not sure how but remember my brother telling me about it. I’m not a whatsapp user so not sure of the specifics, but something about sending the image as a file and somehow bypassing the default compression settings that are applied to inbound photos.
He has also used this to share movies to whatsapp groups, and files 1Gb+.
Like I said, I never used whatsapp, but I know 100% this isn’t a “brand new feature”, my brother literally showed me him doing it, like… 5 months ago?
Martin, what happened to those: 12 Comments (https://www.ghacks.net/chatgpt-gets-schooled-by-princeton-university/#comments). Is there a specific justifiable reason why they were deleted?
Hmm, it looks like the gHacks website database is faulty, and not populating threads with their relevant cosponsoring posts.
The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk that it’s about to be deleted from my ‘daily reads’.
It’s really like “Press Release as re-written by some d*ck for clicks…poorly.” And the subjects are laughable. Can’t wait for “How to search for files on Windows”.
> The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk…
Sadly, I have to agree.
Only Martin and Ashwin are worth subscribing to.
Especially Emre Çitak and Shaun are the worst ones.
If ghacks.net intended “Clickbait”, it would mark the end of Ghacks Technology News.
Ghacks doesn’t need crappy clickbaits. Clearly separate articles from newer authors (perhaps AIs and external sales person or external advertising man) as just “Advertisements”!
We, the subscribers of Ghacks, urge Martin to make a decision.
because nevermore wants to “monetize” on every aspect of human life…
“Threads” is like the Walmart of Social Media.
How hard can it be to clone a twitter version of that as well? They’re slow.
Yes, why not mention how large the HD files can be?
Why, not mention what version of WhatsApp is needed?
These omissions make the article feel so bare. If not complete.
Sorry posted on the wrong page.
such a long article for such a simple matter. Worthless article ! waste of time
I already do this by attaching them via the ‘Document’ option.
I don’t know what’s going on here at Ghacks but it’s obvious that something is broken, comments are being mixed whatever the article, I am unable to find some of my later posts neither. :S
Quoting the article,
“As users gain popularity, the value of their tokens may increase, allowing investors to reap rewards.”
Besides, beyond the thrill and privacy risks or not, the point is to know how you gain popularity, be it on social sites as everywhere in life. Is it by being authentic, by remaining faithful to ourselves or is it to have this particular skill which is to understand what a majority likes, just like politicians, those who’d deny to the maximum extent compatible with their ideological partnership, in order to grab as many of the voters they can?
I see the very concept of this Friend.tech as unhealthy, propagating what is already an increasing flaw : the quest for fame. I won’t be the only one to count himself out, definitely.
@John G. is right : my comment was posted on [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/08/23/what-is-friend-tech/] and it appears there but as well here at [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/07/08/how-to-follow-everyone-on-threads/]
This has been lasting for several days. Fix it or at least provide some explanations if you don’t mind.
> Google Chrome is following in Safari’s footsteps by introducing a new feature that allows users to move the Chrome address bar to the bottom of the screen, enhancing user accessibility and interaction.
Firefox did this long before Safari.
Basically they’ll do anything except fair royalties.
The only “Hot” aspect about this discussion is that all the users are psychic and have discovered a way to comment on a particular topic a couple of weeks before it actually appears i.e. the article is dated 3 October while the comments date from August 18.
Is this an example of how the super intelligent AI is going about its business?