Google Chrome is working on a “Travel” feature, as well as a sidebar to simultaneously display a page and search results / Digital information world
Google Chrome is currently experimenting with two new features: the addition of a new Browse feature, as well as a side search panel.
These two new experimental features are supposed to improve the quality of life offered by the Chrome browser. Chrome is one of the largest browsers on the market, with a share of 67% as shown by a StatCounter 2021 report. Much of the work at this stage of success is to change the functionality and revamp the interface, which is aimed at simply to micromanage and improve features large and small. The Chrome browser recently offered us groups of tabs, it allowed us to link to specifically highlighted parts of a page. And now we move on to the new features.
The point of the two new features, Google prefaces with a statement, is that they help ease the fact that online search is rarely a linear path for most users. Journeys rather feeds directly into this claim, so let’s address it. This new functionality will aim to group together all the links and web pages browsed during a search on a particular subject.
Journeys is separate from the story, having its own dedicated page on the browser, and offers links separated by the relevant topics for which they were pursued. It also becomes easier to find specific connections, instead of delving into its history for the slightest idea what time it was then. Currently, Journeys is even available for testing on the Chrome Canary browser, where the early access version can be used.
The purpose of the other functionality is to allow easy switching between links. Essentially, if a user performs a Google search, for example, and comes across a link that might be relevant, there’s no need to click on it and lose previous search results, or even open a new tab. Users can now easily open this link in a sidebar, allowing them to simultaneously view both search results while browsing the link at the same time. The sidebar that appears is in appearance quite similar to the mobile version of Google Chrome, appearing even in a narrower rectangular aspect ratio.
While screen recoding for the sidebar feature is available, Google says the feature is still under developer testing and it may take some time before users can get their hands on it. Chrome Canary regulars might want to keep an eye on the sidebar, as it will make its first public appearance there.
To read next: Google Chrome to allow Android users to permanently switch websites from the phone version to the desktop version