As anticipated in last month's preview, Chrome 135 for Android is now rolling out a sleek, edge-to-edge design for the bottom of the screen. This significant update enhances user experience by modifying how the gesture navigation bar interacts with web content. Instead of appearing against a solid background, the gesture navigation bar will now overlay web content while scrolling, creating a more immersive browsing experience.
This change, while not increasing the visible area of the page, represents a modernized approach by Chrome as it adapts to the growing trend of edge-to-edge design in Android applications. Upon loading a webpage, the background remains visible at the top of the screen, and it continues to display as users scroll back up the page. This design shift aligns with a broader movement towards more seamless and engaging mobile interactions.
Behind the scenes, Chrome has introduced a new feature called the "dynamic bottom bar", colloquially referred to as "the chin." This feature allows the bottom bar to dynamically retract as users scroll down a webpage. By retracting, the viewport effectively expands, enabling web content to extend right up to the bottom edge of the device. This innovative approach not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also improves usability by maximizing available screen space.
Chrome 135 is being rolled out widely via the Play Store, offering users access to these exciting new features. However, the edge-to-edge design is being implemented as a separate server-side update, which many users are beginning to notice this week. Initially, this update is focused on mobile devices with smaller screens, with plans for larger screen support on tablets to follow.
It's important to note that this new design is specifically tailored for gesture navigation and does not yet support the traditional 3-button navigation system. While the 3-button navigation could benefit from a transparent design, it appears that the current implementation is solely focused on enhancing the gesture navigation experience.
With these updates, Chrome continues to lead the way in mobile browsing innovation, ensuring that users enjoy a more fluid and visually appealing experience on their Android devices.
