Chrome finally catches up: vertical tabs & reading mode arrive

Google Chrome, often criticized for its glacial pace in adopting features already commonplace in rival browsers, has finally delivered two long-awaited improvements: vertical tabs and a dedicated reading mode. These aren’t revolutionary leaps, but they represent a significant usability upgrade for power users and anyone tired of a cluttered browser window.

Vertical tabs: a space-saving solution

The vertical tab feature, previously accessible only through experimental flags, is now broadly available. Right-clicking on any Chrome window and selecting “Show Tabs Vertically” instantly transforms the tab bar into a sidebar. This arrangement frees up valuable screen real estate, particularly beneficial for those with numerous tabs open – a common scenario for researchers, developers, and anyone who juggles multiple online tasks. You can even shrink the sidebar to display only website favicons, creating an almost minimalist browsing experience, a design choice that has resonated strongly with users of browsers like Arc.

But here's the kicker: while Google’s implementation is functional, it’s already playing catch-up. Arc, The Browser Company’s ambitious offering, places the address bar within the vertical sidebar itself, maximizing screen efficiency even further. It’s a subtle difference, but one that highlights Chrome’s belated entry into this design trend.

Reading mode: a welcome dose of clarity

Alongside vertical tabs, Chrome now boasts a full-page reading mode. A simple right-click on any webpage and selecting “Open in reading mode” strips away extraneous elements – ads, navigation bars, distracting visuals – leaving behind a clean, focused reading experience. It’s a feature that should have arrived years ago, and its absence has been a persistent annoyance for many Chrome users. The result is a more pleasant and less visually overwhelming way to consume long-form content.

The arrival of these features isn’t merely about catching up; it's a tacit acknowledgement that Chrome's dominance doesn't grant it immunity from user feedback. For years, the browser has lagged behind competitors in usability, often prioritizing stability over innovation. However, with these additions—particularly the vertical tabs—Chrome demonstrates a willingness to adapt and incorporate design choices that prioritize user productivity. The question now is whether Google will follow through and borrow more from Arc’s playbook, including its innovative Spaces feature, which could truly transform Chrome into a modern, multitasking powerhouse. Until then, it remains a solid, if somewhat belated, step in the right direction.