Google is currently conducting experiments involving text-to-speech technologies within Chrome’s reading mode. This development aims to empower the desktop browser with the ability to audibly read open web pages. This intriguing possibility has emerged in the preliminary iteration of the program.
Discovery in Chrome Canary
The discovery of the text-to-speech functionality within the reading mode was brought to light by Leopeva64, a user on the X social network (formerly known as Twitter). This revelation occurred through an inspection of a pre-release version of Chrome known as Chrome Canary. When users engage the Reading View feature, a conspicuous play button becomes visible at the page’s top. Upon activation, the Google Voice Synthesizer takes action, audibly rendering the plain text content.
Current Capabilities and Future Outlook
Initial demonstrations of this new feature display its current limitations. The synthetic voice closely resembles that of a robot, and it grapples with processing words composed in capital letters, interpreting them as abbreviations and enunciating them letter by letter rather than as coherent words. While the functionality is currently accessible to a select group of users, its trajectory toward the broader public release remains uncertain. Notably, Microsoft Edge has already integrated a similar capability, suggesting a plausible future integration into Chrome.
This text-to-speech enhancement is poised to become a valuable asset for individuals who prefer auditory content consumption, notes NIX SOLUTIONS. With the anticipation of its integration into the public version of Google Chrome, there is optimism that the voice quality will evolve to exude a more natural and engaging demeanor.