Google's Chrome Canary web browser adds MacBook Pro Touch Bar support

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware
As third-party developers slowly incorporate support for Apple's new MacBook Pro Touch Bar, Google on Wednesday integrated assets for the OLED control strip in the latest version of its Chrome Canary experimental web browser.




With Google baking Touch Bar support into Chrome Canary version 58.0.3020.0, the company is likely planning to integrate the feature into the upcoming Chrome 58 update, expected to launch later this year.

Touch Bar operation in Chrome Canary is similar to, but not as robust as, Apple's own solution for the Safari browser. In Canary, Touch Bar displays a series of static virtual buttons that basically mirror onscreen controls found at the top of app window. Next to an escape key are Touch Bar buttons for back and forward browser control, refresh page, open new tab and add bookmark. A large central button labeled "Search or type URL" is situated between the refresh and open new tab keys.

Canary's in-app controls are flanked by Apple's standard system assets including the expandable control strip for configuring volume, screen brightness, Launchpad and more.

The implementation is barebones compared to Safari. Apple's first-party browser includes Touch Bar support for displaying a list of favorite webpages, each of which is represented by a small icon. Safari also sports built-in media navigation tools for scrubbing through videos and audio, something currently missing in Canary.

Whether or not Google plans to incorporate more sophisticated Touch Bar controls into its Chrome browser is unknown, though user feedback gleaned from Canary testing will likely play a role in that decision making process.

The latest Chrome Canary version can be downloaded for free from Google's website. Potential users should be wary, however, as the app crashed multiple times on AppleInsider's MacBook Pro with Touch Bar testbed.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member
    No company out there had any original ideas. If it was not for Apple we would not have any new ideas.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 9

    I think this is just another example of a vocal screeching minority. People who dissed the TouchBar as gimmicky posted everywhere giving the impression that it was a complete failure. Yet most major software companies are adding support for the TouchBar.


    watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 9
    maestro64 said:
    No company out there had any original ideas. If it was not for Apple we would not have any new ideas.
    except that most of the "innovation" comes from companies apple bought.
    Aspendan_
  • Reply 4 of 9
    maestro64 said:
    No company out there had any original ideas. If it was not for Apple we would not have any new ideas.
    That is so far from the actual truth. 
    tallest skil
  • Reply 5 of 9
    except that most of the "innovation" comes from companies apple bought.
    How ironic a username.
    StrangeDayswatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 6 of 9
    Just gave it a try. It does indeed simply replicate the toolbar on the top of Chrome. Not bad, not interesting, just blah.

    Particularly disappointing given how shoddy the options for Safari's Touch Bar are. I can think of many things I'd like to do with the bar in Safari, but the customizations that Apple makes available are far too limited. I'm starting to think that we'll need some sort of AppleScript or Automator functionality built into the Touch Bar before it ever becomes truly useful.
  • Reply 7 of 9
    maestro64 said:
    No company out there had any original ideas. If it was not for Apple we would not have any new ideas.
    except that most of the "innovation" comes from companies apple bought.
    Troll trope nonsense. Firstly because Apple cranks out a lot of in house work on a lot of things, probably most of which you'll never hear about. Second because that statement is a pointless attempt at moving th goal posts of success -- "Oooh Apple didn't *really* implement this in an incredibly useful, value-adding way that nobody else has done, because they *bought* the core tech/people! You know, like everyone in SV does. Boo! Hiss!"
    edited February 2017 watto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 8 of 9
    Exploiting the Touch Bar needs some original thinking that Apple, at least, has yet to demonstrate. Most Apps just seem to duplicate a window's toolbar: that potentially offers the chance to recover some screen space but it's hardly ground-breaking.  I remain optimistic, the hardware is interesting but it needs better to earn its keep.

    Currently, I rarely find myself using it. In Safari, to return to the story, the page previews are so small that, for example, every AI page looks the same. If people have good ideas about the Touch Bar, I'd love to see them here as we could then hope that developers would pick up on them.
  • Reply 9 of 9
    I like the direction in which the touch bar is going!
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