Unlike iOS, there is no standard browser that is used across the Android platform, despite the fact that the mobile operating system comes from Google, the same company behind the Chrome web browser. Now this has changed with the release of Chrome for Android. As with other mobile browsers, tabbed browsing is available, along with a pleasingly clear interface and cross platform synchronization.
If you are already using Chrome as your main browser on your PC or Mac, you’ll be aware that it is possible to synchronize not only information such as your bookmarked sites and browser settings between computers, but also open tabs. This idea has also been brought to the mobile version of the browser, essentially providing you with a seamless browsing experience as you move from one device to another.
When it comes to working with tabs, there is a very pleasing stacked view that makes it easy to navigate between open tabs. One of the problems that many people have with mobile web browsers that pages can be slow to load and rendering can leave a little to be desired. Chrome for Android is quick to use and pages look good and there are a couple of interesting way to interact with your browser. To navigate between tabs you can simply swipe left and right, and when you are in tab preview mode you can tilt your devices to zoom in and out.
Chrome for Android 29 is a major release with these changes:
- WebRTC, an API that enables video and voice communication directly in the browser without a plugin
- WebAudio, an API that allows developers to process and synthesize audio in web applications
- Visual indication when scrolling to the top or bottom of a page
- New color picker user interface for web forms
