Chrome Beta update introduces easier way to save websites to your homescreen, new tab page that mimics the desktop

Phandroid

Chrome Beta update introduces easier way to save websites to your homescreen, new tab page that mimics the desktop

On Tuesday, we saw the boys at Google updating the official (stable) version of Chrome for Android in the Google Play Store. The update introduced a fun new way of interacting with the app using gestures. Today, Google is updating the Chrome Beta app on Google Play.

As announced on their blog, the update for Chrome Beta brings an easier way to save your favorite websites directly on your homescreen. Clicking on the 3-dot menu will now have the option to “Add to Homescreen”, where a shortcut will be created. Previously, this was done by dragging the “Bookmark” widget onto your homescreen, where you could then select whichever bookmark you like. A little tedious, and we’re sure it’s a feature nobody was using. The coolest part about using the Chrome Beta method is opened bookmarks will appear as their own app inside Android’s app switcher. Neat.

Also new is the “new tab page” the mimics the design found on desktops. Search is now present right in the middle of the tab (redundant since you could also search from the URL/search bar/Omnibox), and your most frequently visited sites appear along the bottom for quick access. The update is said to go live at some point today, and if you haven’t yet, you can live on the bleeding edge and download Chrome Beta for Android via link below.

[Chrome Beta on Google Play]

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