Skip to main content

Chrome 58 Canary update adds MacBook Pro Touch Bar support

Apple MacBook 13-inch Touch Pad
Bill Roberson / Digital Trends
An upcoming browser update, Chrome 58, looks likely to include support for the MacBook Pro Touch Bar, as a recent Canary release has that functionality included. This represents the first time that Chrome has shown any support for the Touch Bar, but shows that Google now sees it as a worthwhile feature to develop.

When Apple debuted the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, many people weren’t convinced it was a worthwhile feature. There is still some debate on the topic, but bedroom hackers and corporations alike have found a multitude of different uses for it and now Google’s Chrome looks set to join that list of supporting applications.

9To5Mac

In the Canary build of the browser update, the Touch Bar gains support for a number of features. There’s the ability to refresh a page, go forward and back, search, open a new tab and access the the usual Touch Bar media controls.

You can also add a website to your list of favorites, though these base functions are all you can expect in this build. As 9to5Mac reports, the controls and options don’t contextually change when you watch a video or open up a new tab.

Still, now that we’ve seen these Touch Bar functions appear in the Chrome Canary build we expect them to show up in the stable Chrome 58 update too. It will likely pass through a couple of additional testing channels first, but MacBook Pro Touch Bar support is almost certainly coming to Chrome, which will be a nice addition for those running the browser on their new laptops.

For anyone not willing to wait though, you can dive into the testing pool and grab yourself the Canary build of the Chrome 58. It’s available via the Chromium repository, where you’ll find all stages of the latest Chrome builds.

For those of you with MacBook Pros with Touch Bars, what are some of the interesting uses you’ve found for the touch interface?

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is the Evergreen Coordinator for Computing, overseeing a team of writers addressing all the latest how to…
MacBook Pro 16 vs. MacBook Pro 14: The important differences
MacBook Pro laptops.

MacBooks are typically seen as some of the best laptops money can buy, thanks to their combination of performance and longevity. It's not uncommon for MacBooks to be running flawlessly years after purchase -- so while their upfront costs are a bit steep, they're great long-term investments.

That holds true for the MacBook Pro lineup, which comes in two sizes -- 14 inches and 16 inches. Both are top-of-the-line computers designed to handle pretty much anything you can throw at them, offering access to the M3 chip, vibrant Liquid Retina XDR displays, and plenty of other high-end hardware.

Read more
Why you should buy a MacBook Pro instead of a MacBook Air
The 14-inch MacBook Pro on a window sill.

There are plenty of reasons to buy a MacBook Air instead of a MacBook Pro. If you want a MacBook on a budget, you don't necessarily need the goodies that come with upgrading to the MacBook Pro.

That being said, I'm going to argue for spending a little more. In my experience, the MacBook Pro offers several distinct advantages that help justify a higher price, especially with the introduction of the more affordable MacBook Pro 14 with the base M3. If you can stretch your budget a bit, here's why I think you should buy a MacBook Pro instead of a MacBook Air.
Setting the stage: pricing

Read more
Why you should buy a MacBook Air instead of a MacBook Pro
The MacBook Air on a table in front of a window.

The MacBook Air has officially caught up. Now with the M3 on board, the MacBook Air has gained the benefits of the new chip, which was previously available just on the MacBook Pro and iMac.

Choosing between the M3 15-inch MacBook Air and the 14-inch MacBook Pro is tough, and requires an in-depth look at differences in ports, displays, speakers, and more. It's a legitimately hard decision to make.

Read more