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.