Google Chrome tests read-aloud feature similar to Microsoft Edge

Google Chrome will soon add a Microsoft Edge-like “read aloud” feature for desktop users, currently available in the Canary version for testing. With read-aloud, users can control the rate at which articles are read aloud by adjusting the playback speed, reports BleepingComputer. Moreover, in future updates, users will be able to switch between different voice options, enhancing the auditory experience.

According to the report, the read-aloud feature offers a thoughtful design element in terms of user interface — as the article is narrated, the sentence being read is highlighted, while the sections that have been read fade out. This makes it possible for users to easily track their reading progress. Chrome has added a button to turn off the highlighting for those who find it distracting. Further, the report mentioned that Chrome is also improving its visual appeal.

Meanwhile, Google has introduced a new feature for Chrome that will alert users when an extension that they have installed is no longer in the Web Store. “Starting in Chrome 117, Chrome will proactively highlight to users when an extension they have installed is no longer in the Chrome Web Store,” Oliver Dunk, Developer Relations Engineer for Chrome Extensions, said in a Chrome Developers post. This will be limited to three specific cases: when the extension has been unpublished by the developer, it is taken down for violating Chrome Web Store policy, or it is marked as malware.

Google has also introduced a new feature to Google Voice that is similar to the “suspected spam caller warnings,” but this time for SMS messages. On both Android and iOS devices, users will now be alerted of suspected spam messages with a red exclamation sign appearing in the profile avatar spot. The message preview will also include the phrase “Suspected spam” in a matching colour for easy identification. Users will see these labels within the message, and they can either – “confirm a suspected spam message, which causes future messages from that number to go directly into the spam folder or mark a labelled message as not spam, after which the suspected spam label is never displayed for that number again.”

— Written with inputs from IANS