Google rolled out a design refresh for the Chrome browser with version 69 for desktop and mobile devices. The update improves the usability of the browser in a significant way. However, the new layout for managing tabs takes away a critical feature of Chrome for iOS.

Chrome 69 shows open tabs in a grid layout, which makes browsing through a bit easier than stacks, but it takes away the ability to close a tab on chrome by only swiping it away.

On the new design, you’ve to tap on the little cross on the top-right corner of the tab preview to close a tab. It’s inconvenient to use it that way. Previously, when Chrome had the stacks layout for managing tabs, you could swipe left or right to close a tab. Simple. But now, you’ve to focus on touching that tiny cross on the tab to close it.

There’s this tap and hold feature to move/rearrange tabs in the new design. And I wonder why not just make it an option to swipe off a tab from the screen when users tap and hold it.

Not that it matters, but the Chrome 69 for Android devices still have the ‘swipe to close a tab’ feature on it. And it feels just right to use. We hope the Chrome team is aware of this problem for iOS users and comes up with a fix.