Google Chrome 75 in Canary now treating focused Tabs as if they are Progressive Web Apps, except the fact that the latter gets installed where former won’t, remaining everything same to same.
We’ve reported Chrome will get focus mode (this is like reader mode, but not that) which lets you focus on content without any distractions, there will be no tabs, browser UI and navigation toolbars. Till now focused tab used to open in a separate window so much similar to PWA, now looks like Chrome is giving focused tabs a PWA status.
Chrome turning focused tabs into PWAs
FYI, the Focus Mode is not enabled by default in Chrome, to enable it
1. Ensure you’re using latest Canary and visit chrome://flags page
2. Find “Focus Mode”
3. Select “Enabled”
4. Restart browser.
Now “Focus this Tab” option appears in every tab context menu, select the option to launch tab in a separate window and the site favicon appears on the taskbar.
A recent update to Focus Mode added almost all PWA menu options except uninstall, here they’re: App info, Copy URL, open in Chrome, Zoom, Print, Find, Cast, Edit, Cut Copy, Paste.
If you don’t know, Chrome now lets you install PWAs with a single click from Omnibox, apps installed can be managed by visiting chrome://apps page. You can remove a PWA from Chrome apps page as well as from the menu option available in the app window also, but this doesn’t apply to focus tabs.
So Chrome focus mode is nothing but running tabs in a PWA, seems that’s way Chrome heading. Do note, Focus Mode is still an experimental feature. Are you using it? Have you liked it? Let us know in the comments below.