Chrome for iOS adds a Safari-like Reading List
As part of its latest update, Google Chrome for iOS just got a so-called Reading List feature, allowing users to save pages for offline viewing. If that sounds familiar, it’s because Safari has had a similar feature for years now.
Version 57 of Chrome for iOS arrived (April 02, 2017), touting an offline reading feature that’s so much like Safari’s, it even has the exact same name. To access Chrome’s Reading List, hit the Share icon in the top-right corner of the screen, then tap Read Later to add the current page to your collection. Users can then browse their list of saved pages and check them out whenever, regardless of whether they’re connected to the internet.
Chrome’s Reading List has a leg up on Apple’s, since it separates saved items into “Unread” and “Pages You’ve Read” sections. As 9to5Mac points out, Safari doesn’t have that functionality. That said, Chrome’s desktop app, which was also recently updated to Version 57, doesn’t support Reading List yet. This means that at the moment, saved pages are only be viewable on iOS, while Safari’s offline reading feature is already cross-platform for Mac users.
Although Chrome’s Android app is still on Version 56, it already includes a Downloads feature similar to Reading List. Users can tap the menu button, then the download icon, and view saved pages online in the Downloads menu. Downloaded pages, however, do not sync with the Chrome desktop app.
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