Google Refreshes Mobile Chrome With These 5 New Features For Android And iOS

Google's Chrome browser is the dominant way to browse the web on both desktop and mobile platforms, so even minor changes can alter the way people use the internet. Anyone using Chrome to navigate the web on a smartphone or tablet is about to get a raft of new search enhancements. Some individual features are relatively minor interface tweaks, but taken together, this update represents a solid improvement to the browsing experience.

The changes start when you tap the address bar. Android users have long seen suggested searches when the bar is highlighted, but the iOS version of Chrome didn't do that until now. You can tap on any of them to instantly begin a search, but you may need to scroll down below your recent queries to see the trending list.

There are more useful search features as you begin to type, too. Google has added direct links to reach local businesses. So, as you type the name of a location, the search suggestions will include buttons with relevant information from Google Maps. For example, a restaurant might pull up buttons for placing a call, directions, and reviews. This feature is live on Android now and will come to iOS soon. Google also promises smarter personalization for search shortcuts. If you often type the same phrase to find a page, Chrome will smartly move the shortcut suggestion higher up the list (see below).
If you're using Chrome on an iPad or Android tablet, the address bar will look totally different soon. It will take full advantage of the larger screen real estate to more options and keep the URL visible when using the address bar, while also adhering closer to Google's Material You design guidelines. There's one last change that will appear even before you start searching—the sorts card from Google Discover is coming to Chrome. Just scroll down on the Chrome start page to see score updates for your favorite teams, which are customizable in the settings.

Google did not confirm in its blog post if an app update would be needed for all these features, nor when we can expect the changes to be live. We're not seeing these features live yet, even after updating to the latest version of Chrome currently available from the Play Store. It's possible much of this will be enabled with a server-side switch.