Chrome for Android adds background playback for “listen to this page” feature

Google has updated its Chrome browser for Android with a new feature that allows users to listen to webpages in the background. This feature, called “Listen to this page”, was first introduced earlier this year but lacked background playback support. With the latest update, Chrome will continue to play audio from a webpage even if the user switches to a different app or turns off their phone’s screen.The “Listen to this page” feature is available in Chrome’s three-dot menu. Users can also add a shortcut to the feature next to the address bar by navigating to the Toolbar shortcut option in Chrome settings. Once enabled, the feature will read aloud the text on a webpage using text-to-speech technology.

The background playback feature is a welcome addition to Chrome for Android. It allows users to multitask while listening to webpages, such as listening to a news article while checking email or listening to a podcast while browsing social media. The feature is also useful for users who are visually impaired or have difficulty reading.