Google Chrome is working on a new feature that would allow users to preview web pages before opening them. This feature is inspired by Safari for iOS, and it is designed to provide a more convenient browsing experience and save bandwidth and time.
Currently, Chrome offers a “Preview Page” option in the long-press menu. However, the new feature would work differently. With a long press on a link, users would be able to see a sneak peek of the page’s content, without actually opening the page. This would allow users to make informed decisions about whether or not they want to open the page, without having to waste time or data.
Key Highlights
- Google Chrome developing Safari-inspired feature: Chrome is working on a new feature allowing users to preview web pages before opening them.
- Long-press for sneak peeks: Users can long-press on links to see a glimpse of the page’s content and make informed decisions.
- Save bandwidth and time: Page previews help avoid opening irrelevant pages, saving data and time.
- Multiple implementation approaches: Chrome considers three methods for the feature’s implementation.
- User interaction not final: Exact user interaction details are still being explored, similar to Safari’s peek and pop feature.
The implementation details of this feature are not yet clear. However, three possible approaches are under consideration: using the existing MPArch architecture with some API changes, using multiple WebContents, or utilising temporary windows and tabs.
In practice, Chrome would pre-render pages in the background, and users would be able to interact with the link preview. The exact user interaction is still being determined, but it could be similar to Apple’s peek and pop feature in Safari. For example, on mobile devices, the preview could appear when long-pressing a link and disappear when lifting the finger off the screen. On desktop, users might hover their mouse pointers over a link to show the preview.
There is no specific timeline for when this feature will be available in Chrome Canary or the stable channel. However, the development progress is being closely monitored. The addition of this feature would likely improve the overall browsing experience for Chrome users on Android devices.
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