Google Enhances 'Listen to this Page' with Background Playback
According to a report by MSPowerUser, Google is developing an additional functionality for the 'Listen to this Page' feature that will enable background playback of webpage text. Currently, Chrome users on the Android platform can toggle this option to start the text-to-speech feature, but it stops as soon as the browser is minimized.
Google Chrome for Android app is reported to have a flag called “Read Aloud Background Playback.” This is said to allow Google Chrome's feature to work in the background. The description for the flag reportedly reads, “Add support for background playback for Read Aloud.”
Notably, the 'Listen to this Page' feature on Android can play the audio while the user switches to a different tab and even when the device is locked. It was introduced with Google Chrome for Android version 125. Once toggled, it appears with a mini-player at the bottom of the screen with play/pause, 10-second fast forward/rewind, and playback speed options. Additionally, the webpage auto-scrolls as the feature continues reading the text.
Google's 'Listen to this Page' supports several Indian and global languages, including:
- Arabic
- Bengali
- Chinese
- English
- French
- German
- Hindi
- Indonesian
- Italian
- Japanese
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Spanish
Minimized Custom Tabs: A New Way to Navigate
Apart from the 'Listen to this Page' feature, Google Chrome for Android also recently introduced Minimized Custom Tabs with the Chrome 124 update. This new feature enables users to shuffle between native apps and web content seamlessly. It appears as a downward button on the top banner alongside the name of the website. Once toggled, it turns the Chrome tab into a floating picture-in-picture (PiP) window.
This functionality aims to enhance multitasking capabilities for users who frequently switch between different applications and web pages. By turning the Chrome tab into a floating PiP window, users can continue browsing or listening to content without having to fully switch back to the browser.
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