Google Chrome is enhancing accessibility with its latest update for Android, rolling out a new feature called ‘Listen to This Page.’ Initially announced as part of an Android feature drop last month, the functionality is now available through the Chrome 130 update. This feature, aimed at making browsing more accessible, allows users to listen to web pages while multitasking, improving both the user experience and accessibility.
How It Works: Step-by-Step Guide
- Open an Article in Chrome: When you open a webpage or article, the ‘Listen to This Page’ option becomes available in the reader menu, located at the bottom of the page.
- Activate Audio Playback: To start listening, tap the play button. This activates the audio narration, allowing you to listen to the content of the page.
- Multitasking Friendly: Once the narration begins, you can switch to other apps, and the audio will continue playing in the background. Media controls will appear in your device’s quick settings, giving you options to pause, skip, or adjust audio timing.
- Playback Controls and Customization: In Chrome’s reader menu, users can customize their listening experience.
- You can adjust playback speed, ranging from 0.5x to 4x.
- Choose from 10 different voices to personalize the narration.
- Use the jump to a specific section feature to skip or revisit parts of the page.
- Dedicated Shortcut: You can set a shortcut for the ‘Listen to This Page’ feature by long-pressing on the new tab icon and selecting ‘Edit Shortcut’. From there, you can change it to ‘Listen to This Page’ for quicker access.
Enhanced Functionality for Multitasking
The improved version of ‘Listen to This Page’ allows users to enjoy uninterrupted audio even when they leave Chrome to switch to other apps. This seamless multitasking experience makes it easier to listen to content while handling other tasks, offering an accessibility boost to users who prefer audio over reading.
Google Chrome vs. Safari
With this new feature, Google Chrome is catching up to Safari’s ‘Listen to Page’ feature, which offers similar functionality on iOS. By adding accessibility tools like voice customization and playback speed control, Chrome now stands as a serious competitor in the mobile browsing market, particularly in the accessibility space.
