Google is rolling out a number of new performance and user experience updates for the Chrome web browser, including collapsible tab groups and faster speeds.
Chrome tabs will now load up to 10 per cent faster, while tab throttling, which will reallocate resources from idle background tabs to active ones, is coming to the beta version.
“Chrome’s performance – speed and usage of resources like power, memory, or CPU – has always been top of mind. We have a dedicated engineering team that has been consistently (and quietly) making improvements so Chrome runs faster and smoother on all devices, operating systems, and internet conditions,” said Max Christoff, Chrome’s Engineering Director.
Tab groups are coming to the Chrome browser as well, having been a feature of the beta since May. The functionality will allow users to organise related tabs together with labels, and collapse these groups to save screen space.
Source: Google
Tablet users will be able to access a new “touch-friendly” tab interface, with larger tabs that are easier to hide when not in use, and mobile users will see suggestions to switch tabs when typing an address for a tab that is already open; additionally, Chrome users will be able to fill out and save PDFs directly from the browser and more easily share links between devices.
The beta version is also receiving new tab previews, which will show thumbnails of tabs on mouseover to help users more easily find the tabs they are looking for.
The changes will make working from home easier, according to Alex Ainslie, Director of UX for Chrome.
“These days, people are spending a lot of time in their browsers to get things done, whether for work, school or something else. And while some write out a formal to-do list to keep track of tasks, for others, their to-do list is their tabs in Chrome. However you get things done, we want Chrome to help you be more productive,” said Ainslie.
