Google Wants To Add A Plus Menu For Sharing Via The Chrome Omnibox

Google is now testing a new "plus" icon in the URL Omnibox for Chrome that would vastly simplify sharing in the browser. That'due south based on a contempo report from Chrome Story, who spotted the feature in the Canary Aqueduct. Summarily, the new icon appears to replace the current options for sharing, which shows 2 icons in the URL bar. Those presently take the course of a estimator and telephone-shaped icon and a series of enclosed boxes.

The new plus menu does more than just bones sharing for Chrome

Now, merging two icons into 1 wouldn't necessarily make a lot of difference all on its own. But that'southward not all that the new plus-shaped icon for sharing in Google Chrome does either. In fact, it includes just near every imaginable option for sharing content.

In its electric current test iteration, the kickoff icon shown upon a click of the plus icon, for instance, is a Copy icon. That's followed by the words, "Copy link."

Just below that, Google is including the QR code icon, for sharing a QR code with the link to the page. "Transport to your devices," for sharing with synced business relationship-linked devices follows that in some instances, with the adjacent choice being "Relieve page as…"

Finally, the company is including an choice to "Cast" pages right from the URL bar. Then, in effect, this new plus icon includes everything simply nearly any user would need to share the URL they are currently on easily. Straight from the URL Omnibox, with usability that'south not too different from sharing on the mobile version of Chrome.

This could still be a long fashion out

Equally noted to a higher place though, this is a change that could exist a long manner abroad. And there's no way to determine for sure simply when it will appear more than broadly. Non only does it only appear on Google's buggiest Chrome channel and versions. Information technology'south also tucked behind a 'chrome://flags' experimental setting, titled "Desktop Sharing Hub in Omnibox."