Update to Chrome for Android makes closing the browser tabs in-app the default position

A quiet and subtle change made to version 49 of the Chrome browser app for Android brings back the pre-Lollipop default method for closing Chrome tabs. Prior to Android 5.0, tabs opened by the browser's users would be closed in the app itself by default. In Lollipop, the browser tabs were moved to the "Recent Apps" also known as the "Overview menu." While that was the default, users could still go to Chrome's settings menu and turn off "Merge tabs and apps."

The latest version of Chrome comes with the "Merge tabs and apps" setting off by default. That means that barring any changes, you will be closing the browser's tabs from the Chrome app itself. You can checkout images of both methods by clicking on the slideshow.

Keep in mind that the only thing that has changed is the default method for closing the browser's tabs. Both methods are still available to you by going into the browser's settings. This change is only going to show up for those either installing the Chrome browser from the Google Play Store, or setting up a new phone. If you have an older version of Chrome on your phone and simply update it, you will not get the new default position.

It isn't clear why Google switched the default setting. It could be that many Android users preferred to manage their Chrome tabs inside Chrome itself, and we agree. It becomes a headache to have to scroll through your active apps and Chrome tabs, all mixed together in the same place. But you might disagree which explains why Google offers different options in the first place. As they used to say in the old days when smartphones weren't even dreamed of, different strokes for different folks.


source: AndroidCentral