Google Chrome’s latest update streamlines browsing experience on Android phones

Google has just released a small yet very important Chrome update, which promises to streamline the browsing experience when transitioning between native apps and web content.

Before the update, users had to close their Chrome browsing session when swapping between a webpage and an app. The Chrome M124 update makes it possible to do that without closing the browser, at least for some Android apps.

A new feature called Minimized Custom Tabs allows users to tap on the down button in the Chrome Custom Tabs toolbar to minimize a Custom Tab into a compact, floating picture-in-picture window.

Tapping on the floating window will maximize the tab, restoring it to its original size. If you’re using an Android phone, you should see the Minimize icon in the Chrome Custom Tab toolbar.

According to Google, developers who use Chrome Custom Tabs should see the change automatically applied starting with this specific Chrome version (M124).

Obviously, this will only work with Android apps that use Chrome Custom Tabs, and you can see that if the new down button appears in the top-left corner on an in-app webpage.