In a significant stride towards enhancing user experience, Google is currently in the process of testing a cutting-edge text-to-speech feature designed to bring articles to life within Chrome’s reading mode on desktop devices. This innovative function is aimed at enabling users to have articles read aloud to them, presenting a seamless and immersive reading experience. This trial is currently being conducted on Chrome Canary, a version of the browser known for housing experimental features and enhancements. The reports of this experiment surfaced when a user named Leopeva64, formerly known as X user, shared insights on Twitter. Notably, The Verge has also verified these claims.
The functionality of this new feature is simple yet promising. Once activated, users can initiate the text-to-speech function by clicking on a designated play button located at the top of an article while in the reading mode. This mechanism enables Google to audibly convey the content of the article. While the initial iteration of this feature in the Canary version is relatively basic, it provides a glimpse into its potential. To better understand its functionality, a video demonstration has been shared by Leopeva64 on Reddit, showcasing the feature in action.
Nonetheless, it is important to acknowledge that there is room for refinement. Observations from the video demonstration indicate that the synthesized voice utilized for reading still possesses a robotic quality. Additionally, there appears to be a minor glitch whereby the voice articulates the word “summary” instead of correctly identifying and pronouncing the header.
In a parallel development, Google is also making strides in enhancing its AI-driven Search Generative Experience (SGE). The search engine giant is poised to introduce a significant augmentation to the user experience by offering summarized versions of articles to individuals engaged in web reading. This feature, aptly named “SGE while browsing,” is currently in its experimental phase. It aims to address a common challenge faced by individuals attempting to comprehend extensive or intricate web content. This feature is intended to help users extract the essential information from these articles, streamlining their reading process.
The experimental phase of “SGE while browsing” is set to launch initially on Android and iOS platforms through the Google app. Following its initial rollout, Google plans to expand this feature to encompass the Chrome desktop version, further enhancing user accessibility. This initiative underlines Google’s commitment to continuously enhance its offerings, delivering a more seamless and efficient digital experience to users across different platforms.
