Google is testing an experimental RSS-based “Follow” feature in Chrome Canary on Android. According to Google, the feature is currently just an “experiment” that will decide whether to implement the feature publicly based on feedback from users and developers. However, this seems like good news for RSS lovers like me.
If you’re unfamiliar with RSS, it’s a type of web feed that updates when a website publishes new content. RSS readers collect all of these feeds into a single list that you can review at any time. RSS readers aren’t as popular as they used to be, and popular options like Google News and Firefox’s built-in RSS feed were retired years ago. Still, RSS is the preferred method for many people to keep up with their favorite news and blogs. You can even add podcasts and YouTube channels to an RSS feed. It’s much easier than going straight to a website for the latest updates and less distracting than making headlines on Twitter, Facebook, or Reddit.
Currently, Google’s follow list is just an experiment that Google hopes will “create deeper engagement between users and web publishers in Chrome,” but a final version depends on feedback from users and developers.
Those who wish to take the Follow Chrome Functionality Test must do so Install Chrome Canary for Android. As we often warn, Chrome Canary is the least stable version of the browser, filled with experimental and unfinished features that are prone to crashing. However, Canary installs as a separate app from other versions of Chrome, so you can always switch to a different browser if it’s not working properly.
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The Follow feature is slowly rolling out to Chrome Canary Android users in the coming weeks, and not all users have access to it yet (I have yet to see it). As soon as the “Follow” function is available, navigate to a website and tap the three-dot icon in the upper right corner. Tap “+ Follow” at the bottom of the menu to add the website to your follows list. The latest updates from tracked websites will appear in the new Follow feed when you open a new tab.
If you’re doing an RSS conversion like me but don’t want to use Chrome Canary all the time, there are tons of RSS websites, apps, and third-party plugins for every browser, including your RSS reader of choice, Feedly.
[9to5Google]
