Google gives 2-in-1 Chromebooks new touchscreen gestures with Chrome OS update

Google comes with an update for Chrome OS that gives 2-in-1 Chromebooks, which can be used as both a laptop and a tablet, support for new touchscreen gestures. This should make navigation easier if the devices are used as tablets.

The gestures coming to Chrome OS with version 81 are specifically aimed at the tablet display of convertibles running on Chrome OS. According to Google, the new gestures make it easier to navigate in this tablet mode. The company states that after the update, users will be able to navigate faster between web pages, for example, by swiping right from the left side of the screen. This will display the previous page.

Furthermore, the Home screen can be conjured up by swiping up with a finger from the bottom of the screen. An overview of all open apps and windows can also be called up with a largely similar movement; the only difference is that the index finger must be held still briefly on the screen at the end of the upward movement.

Google says it has also thought about utilizing as much screen space as possible. To this end, the Quick shelf, to which, for example, frequently used apps can be attached, has been made more compact. This small, horizontal bar can be called up with a short upward swipe. In addition, a picture-in-picture feature is now available for Google Play Store apps on Chromebooks.

Also, after the update, users will be able to manage various Chrome browser tabs by dragging and closing its tabs by swiping up. For this, a strip with multiple browser tabs displayed side by side is introduced. Specifically, these browser navigation updates will be available first for the Lenovo Chromebook Duet, due out in the next few months. After that, other Chromebooks will get these tablet mode options.