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The bottom address bar on Chrome for iOS is finally here. The change complements the current design of Apple Safari, suggesting Google’s agenda to further encourage iOS users to switch to its browser.
This effectively gives iOS users the option for a bottom address bar layout, with the element joining the toolbar containing the back and forward button, New Tab, Tab Switcher, and browser menu. The address bar itself, meanwhile, is found at the top of all the tab bar controls. With this, all the buttons are now more accessible, even with single-hand operation.
Despite the change, it is important to note that the layout is optional and that the bar can still be placed at the top of Chrome. To access the option, users can simply long-tap the URL bar, and the “Move Address Bar to Bottom/Top” will appear. In Chrome 119, this can also be accessed on the Address Bar page in Settings.
As we noted before, the setting is not new for Apple customers, who have been using the same layout in the Safari browser since Apple implemented it in its iOS 15 update in 2021. The change was a daring move by Apple, and it even resulted in criticisms by other users. This pushed the company to offer the setting to bring it back to the top of the screen. Now, as iPhones’ displays continue to increase in size each year, iPhone users find the browser setting more useful in using their devices with one hand. It seems Google is following the same path as it tries to get more Safari users to switch to Chrome.
On the other hand, it is unknown if it will also be adopted in Chrome for users as this move seems to be specifically aimed at Safari users. Yet, it is important to note that it already tested the setting in the said group back in 2017, only to remove it after a short time.
