A few days ago, Google started working on Chrome for Android where the “Listen to this page” feature will soon support background playback, which means users can continue listening to online articles even if the Chrome app is not open or active. Now, a report suggests that Google Chrome is testing a Floating Action Button (FAB) to open new tabs just like other Google apps.
The Floating Action Button FAB has been a core part of Google’s Material Design language, appearing in essential apps like Drive, Google Maps, Google Messages, Google Contacts, and Google Keep.
According to Google, the FAB is “a button that allows the user to perform the primary action in the app.” It is usually located in the lower right corner of the screen and promotes a single action. In apps like Google Messages, it is used to start a new chat, while in Google Contacts, it is used to add a new contact to the contact list.
According to the report, the new FAB has been found in the latest beta version of Google Chrome (127.0.6533.23). This button is dedicated to launching a new tab from the tab overview screen. Compared to the current top-left location of the new tab button, the FAB located at the bottom right is a more intuitive option similar to other apps.
Additionally, Google is using FAB for Gemini in various apps like Google Messages and Gmail.
This update is still in the development stage and will be released in a future version of Chrome. This feature is expected to improve the experience of opening new tabs.