Google is ringing in significant changes to help keep Chrome ahead of its competitors. With tweaks to both search and download functions, Google is aiming to improve the browser experience for Android and iOS users.
One of the first big Google Chrome tweaks being rolled out in the forthcoming update is centered around making it easier for people to get ideas for their next search. In a blog post shared with Tom's Guide by Google, the given example focuses on travel ideas. With the updated address bar, you’ll soon see a new section that’s labeled ‘Related to this page’.
Say you’re planning a trip to Hawaii, and you’re searching for hotels in Honolulu. With the ‘Related to this page’ function, a click of the address bar will bring up related searches; like recommended places to eat in Waikiki, for example.
Trending changes are also being rolled out. Android users will now be able to see trending Google searches directly in the Chrome address bar, while you can also click on a trending result to learn more about that subject. iOS users will also get access to this new feature later in the year.
The ‘Touch to Search’ function that Android users have been able to use for years is also getting updated. Going forward, you’ll be able to find related searches by using Touch to Search. If you’re reading this article on an Android device, here’s how to enable Touch to Search.
Google Chrome changes: What they mean for you
The last new Chrome search update involves Google’s browser providing you with more suggestions. If you’re using Chrome on some of the best Android phones, you’ll be able to see 10 suggestions related to every search, rather than just six. Previously, this feature was exclusive to Android, but it will also now be available to iOS users too.
Downloads are getting some key design changes as well in the latest Chrome update. According to Chrome Senior Product Manager Jasika Bawa, users felt Chrome downloads were “no longer modern, interactive or consistent with the look and feel of other browser UI”.
To address this, the latest Chrome update brings the download tray to the right of the address bar, replacing the previous experience where downloads appeared at the bottom of the screen. And when you’re downloading a file now, an animated ring will appear on-screen to keep you informed of its progress at a glance.
The new download tray opens after your download is complete, then automatically disappears. Google claims it has made these changes to make the download process less disruptive on the overall browsing experience.
The new download changes also give you the option of making sure the download tray never opens automatically, thanks to an additional option in the Downloads Settings menu. Additionally, you’ll be able to see every download you’ve made from the past 24 hours in the tray in any browser window, not just the one you initially made the downloads from.
Google is also trying to ensure downloads are a safer experience in Chrome going forward. The company claims “the additional space and more flexible UI of the new Chrome downloads experience will give us the opportunity to provide even more context when Chrome protects you from a potentially malicious file, and enables us to build advanced deep scan options that we couldn’t before.”
It makes sense Google is ringing in these changes at a time when the chasing pack are jostling for position"
It makes sense Google is ringing in these changes at a time when the chasing pack are jostling for position. While Chrome retains a healthy market lead over competing browsers like Safari and Microsoft Edge, it’s overall share actually dropped slightly earlier in the year.
Though Chrome has 66.13% of the overall market (with Safari a distant second with 11.87%, thanks BGR), year on year results show that Chrome has actually lost users between April 2022 and this year. Last spring, Google’s browser had 66.64% of users, but that number has dropped to 66.13% as of this April.
A slight drop in user base is hardly a death blow, but it does provide context for why Google is rolling out so many search and download changes with its latest Chrome update.
