- Google has introduced a new feature in its Chrome browser for Android devices: the ability to read webpages out loud directly from within the app.
- Google Chrome for Android’s new in-app webpage reading feature enhances accessibility and convenience by allowing users to listen to web content, benefiting individuals with visual impairments, those who prefer auditory learning, and multitaskers.
OUR TAKE
Google’s initiative underscores its commitment to enhancing user experience and accessibility. By making digital content easier to consume for everyone, Chrome’s new feature represents a significant step towards a more inclusive internet. This move highlights the importance of accessibility in technology, ensuring that advancements benefit as many people as possible.
–Jinny Xu, BTW reporter
Google has rolled out a new feature for its Chrome browser on Android that allows users to have webpages read aloud directly from within the app. This feature aims to enhance accessibility and convenience for a diverse range of users.
What happened
Google is introducing a new option called “Listen to this page” on the Android Chrome browser, allowing users to have webpages read aloud to them. This option includes playback controls similar to those found in music or podcast players, enabling users to pause, adjust reading speed, skip forward or back by 10 seconds, and choose different voices and languages. Supported languages include English, French, German, Arabic, Hindi, and Spanish. To check if you have access to this feature, visit a text-heavy page, tap the three dots menu, and select “Listen to this page” located below the Translate option.
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Why it’s important
The new feature allows Chrome users to have webpages read to them with just a few taps. This is especially beneficial for individuals with visual impairments, those with reading difficulties, or anyone who prefers listening to content rather than reading it. By integrating text-to-speech capabilities directly into the browser, Google is enhancing the accessibility of web content, ensuring that a wider audience can engage with the information available online.
This feature also caters to users who are multitasking or on the go. For instance, it allows people to catch up on articles or news while driving, exercising, or performing household chores, making it easier to consume content without being glued to their screens.
The introduction of in-app webpage reading in Chrome is an important step in making the internet more inclusive and user-friendly. It highlights Google’s commitment to accessibility and its recognition of the diverse needs of its global user base. As technology continues to evolve, such features are crucial in bridging the gap between content and users, ensuring that the digital world remains accessible to everyone.
