Big Change Coming to Google Chrome
A lot of news about Google Chrome lately, no? This time it’s about how the next iteration of Google Chrome will implement a feature that only Internet Explorer 9 has so far and that feature is: dropping the address bar.
Despite being one of the most minimalist web browsers already, the next Google Chrome version will save even more screen space.
Don’t worry, the address bar will reappear when users move the cursor over the spot where the address bar normally is. It is a feature that only the beta of Internet Explorer 9 currently boasts but Google seemingly intends to take it a step further.
The Chromium website had this to say about the new and even more compact design:
If we take the address bar out of the tab, it can be used as both a launcher and switcher; the user doesn’t have to worry about replacing their active tab. The current URL shows while a site is loading, and can be edited or changed by clicking on the tab.
Mind you, Google has not commented on when these changes will be implemented, let alone when. Obvious advantages and disadvantages, however, include more vertical screen real estate but the lack of a always visible URL respectively. See the image below to get a better idea of what Chrome could look like in the near future.
About (Author Profile)
Being passionate about software, Armin joined FavBrowser.com in early 2011 and has been actively writing ever since. Having accepted the challenge, he also enjoys watching anime, indulging in good books, staying fit and healthy, and trying new things.
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Might be usefull for people with 1920x100px resolution.
LOL!
“Chrome will implement a feature that only Internet Explorer 9 has so far. That feature is dropping the address bar”
Opera has been able to disable the address bar for years, F2 brings up an address field.
ten years as i recall? (opera 6)
tough the hidden address bar is rather old, the auto appearing adress bar is new
Now Google is copying MS.
Hardly…
This was only ever an experiment for Chromium OS, which was designed for netbooks with limited vertical resolution, where limited RAM makes a large number of tabs impractical.
The Compact Nav Bar as it was known was actually implemented over a year ago around the time the document was written. All bugs relating to the compact nav bar were marked WontFix because the feature was Discontinued since about july 2010.
Thanks for bringing some sense into this senseless discussion.
“While working on the UI for Chromium OS”
Source: http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/user-experience/window-ui
Seems like these sites are jumping to conclusions?
I think this is reaally going to confuse end users, and really not necessary considering how little vertical screen real-estate Chrome already takes up.
When entry-level users can’t find out how to do what they want with a piece of software (especially browsers) they tend to go back to their previous solution(IE!!!)
Shoot the designer! It makes copying links and entering adresses really annoying. Well, it fits into the philosophy of klicking on something…