Chrome is testing a “follow” button for websites to make sure you don’t miss any updates

March 3, 2021 editor

Keeping up with the latest news from your favorite websites such as TechRadar could be about to get a lot easier for Google Chrome users as Google is reportedly testing out a new Follow button.

The news outlet Chrome Story first spotted the new button in a recently released build of Chrome Canary which allows developers to test out the latest features coming to the search giant’s browser.

Currently you can already follow specific topics using the Google app’s ‘Discover’ feed that also appears when you open a new tab in Chrome for Android. In the Discover feed, you can add topics you’re interested in following or exclude ones that don’t interest you. For instance, if you’re interested in learning more about cloud computing, you can follow the topic and Google will show you news stories related to it.

Google also recently added the option to share and like content on its Discover feed which is why adding a Follow button makes a great deal of sense.

Return of Google Reader

While Chrome Story believes the new Follow button will be integrated with Google’s Discover feed, others have speculated that the company could be building a replacement for Google Reader.

For those unfamiliar, Google Reader was an RSS feed aggregator operated by the search giant that was discontinued back in 2013 to the dismay of many users.

Before social media apps and services existed, many WordPress blogs featured RSS buttons that allowed users to follow a site for new updates without having to check back manually each time. Although RSS still exists, Google’s decision to discontinue Google Reader and the rise of social media have made it a less popular way for people to get their news.

We’ll have to wait for a formal announcement from Google on whether or not the company will add a Follow button to Chrome but until then, you can always download Chrome Canary to test out new features coming to Chrome before their added to stable builds of the browser.

Source: TechRadar