📷 Image Credits: Times Now
Google Chrome has introduced a groundbreaking feature for Android users – the ability to have webpages read aloud directly within the app itself. In today’s digital age, convenience and accessibility are paramount. This innovative functionality brings a new dimension to browsing by offering podcast-like controls such as playback speed adjustment, pause, and skipping forward or backward by specific intervals.
The ‘Listen to this page’ feature in the Android Chrome browser enables users to have web pages read aloud to them, enhancing accessibility and convenience by offering a customizable reading experience directly from the browser interface. Users can pause, adjust the reading speed, skip forward or backward by 10-second intervals, and navigate the content seamlessly. This feature supports various voices and languages, including English, French, German, Arabic, Hindi, and Spanish, allowing users to personalize their listening experience. To access this feature, users can tap the three-dot menu in Chrome and select ‘Listen to this page’ located just below the Translate option.
Another way to have webpages read aloud is through Google Assistant, which can also translate content into various languages as it reads. However, using Google Assistant for this purpose redirects users away from the Chrome browser to the Google app interface. In contrast, the newly introduced ‘Listen to this page’ feature allows users to remain within the Chrome browser while accessing these reading and translation capabilities.
Google has also experimented with integrating this feature into Chrome desktop versions. Safari on iPhone offers a similar tool called ‘Listen to Page,’ which utilizes Siri’s voice and provides controls similar to Google’s implementation. The phased approach to the rollout of this feature is typical for Google, with reports indicating it was appearing in version 125 of the Android Chrome app.
The introduction of the ‘Listen to this page’ feature by Google Chrome represents a significant leap forward in enhancing accessibility and user experience within the Android browsing environment. By allowing webpages to be read aloud with customizable playback controls directly within the browser, Chrome has addressed users’ needs who prefer auditory content consumption or face challenges with traditional text-based reading. This innovation aligns with the growing trend toward inclusive technology and underscores Google’s commitment to making digital information more accessible to all. By seamlessly integrating these features into the browsing experience, Google Chrome aims to enhance user accessibility and convenience, catering to diverse preferences and needs in consuming online content.
