Google Chrome is currently experimenting with a new feature that allows users to relocate the address bar to the bottom of the screen on iOS devices. This move comes almost two years after Apple introduced a similar change by shifting Safari’s tab bar to the bottom with iOS 15.
The testing of Chrome’s new feature is currently underway in the TestFlight version of the app, as initially highlighted by iOS developer Steve Moser.
The new feature is designed to be optional, providing users with the choice to switch between different address bar styles. To access this option, users can navigate to Settings > Address Bar within Chrome’s test version. For those using the TestFlight version of Chrome who cannot find the Address Bar menu, it can be enabled by using the “chrome://flags/#bottom-omnibox-steady-state” flag.
While Safari also permits users to customize the tab position through Settings > Safari > Tabs, the bottom-placed address bar has been the default setting for Safari for the past two years.
Although Chrome’s address bar change is currently in the testing phase and has not been made available to all users yet, it is expected to be particularly beneficial for individuals who switch between both browsers and desire a consistent interface. Additionally, having the address bar at the bottom is more convenient for one-handed use on larger devices.
This isn’t the first time Google has experimented with placing the address bar at the bottom of the screen. In 2020, a similar experiment was conducted for Chrome on Android, although it was eventually discontinued. The success and feedback from the iOS test may determine whether Google decides to implement this feature permanently in the future.
