After months of work, the Google app in late April began testing an in-app browser to open Discover articles and search results. A broader deployment occurred a few weeks later, but Google now appears to be reverting to the previous implementation of Chrome’s custom tab.
The in-app browser is heavily themed with a Google logo appearing briefly in the top bar and a prominent loading animation. The domain name and HTTPS status are listed above, while there is a save (for Collections), share, and an overflow button to the right. That menu contains options to refresh and open the page in your default browser.
Unlike a standard Chrome custom tab, this in-app browser does not transfer cookies or login states, and requires a separate setup page to clear browser data. For that reason alone, many find the in-app solution to be quite inconvenient. Another annoyance is how submitting a page to the full Chrome app is not instantaneous as before and requires a full reload. Lastly, it loses useful shortcuts like Find on Page, Desktop Site and Translate.
Although you can disable the “Open web pages in the Google app” option, the experience of using the full Chrome browser, rather than a custom tab implementation, is slower. Basically you are switching from the Google app to the full Chrome browser for each URL.
With the Google 11.17 beta app, where we were also able to see a redesigned lens for the first time, earlier this week, there are a handful of reports about the disappearance of this browser in the app. The first time users open a link after updating, they receive the traditional offer, while the “Browser” setting has been removed from the General menu.
That said, most, even in the latest beta, still have the browser in the app. However, a signal is to be expected that the Google app will soon return to the previous experience for all users.
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