Chrome for Android can now receive alerts from nearby objects using the Physical Web

By Robert Nazarian Published January 21, 2022

Apple users have enjoyed the Physical Web for a while now, and it’s finally coming to Android. Google is adding support to its Chrome browser for Android starting with beta version 49.

What is the Physical Web

The Physical Web allows users to discover URLs based on their surroundings. For example, you might see a movie poster and wonder when the next showing is. You could open your phone and search for the movie or download an app to find the listings, but there is a much easier way. That movie poster could have a Bluetooth beacon in it that would automatically alert your phone with the URL for updated show times.

Recommended Videos

Other examples would be a parking meter providing you with the appropriate link to pay through the cloud or for finding out when the next bus is going to come by.

What are beacons?

Beacons are small transmitters that can send information via Bluetooth LE. They typically transmit information every second whether or not other smartphones are nearby.

Google has its own open-source cross-platform technology called Eddystone, while Apple utilizes its own iBeacon technology. Both work the same way, but the advantage to Eddystone is that it works with both iOS and Android. Apple’s iBeacon only works with iOS devices.

How it works

Assuming you have Chrome for Android, when you walk by a beacon for the first time, you’ll receive a notification asking you to enable the Physical Web. Once enabled, you’ll receive non-vibrating notifications every time you’re near a beacon. These notifications will consist of related URLs that you can open in Chrome. Your phone must be out of your pocket and awake for it to scan for beacons and receive notifications.

Chrome users on iOS already have this same ability via the Today widget, which shows an on-demand list of web content relevant to their surroundings. Google launched support for the Physical Web in Chrome for iOS last July.

It should be noted that whether you’re using an iPhone or an Android device, Chrome for Android will only recognize beacons using the Eddystone standard. Apple already has its own Core Location APIs that are compatible with iBeacon and work with iOS. There are a number of apps already available in the App Store.

The Physical Web will be available in the beta version of Chrome for Android starting with version 49. Google did say that it will become more widely available soon.

Robert Nazarian

Former Contributor

Robert Nazarian became a technology enthusiast when his parents bought him a Radio Shack TRS-80 Color. Now his biggest…

Topics

Phones

The HONOR Robot Phone feels like the first phone I’d actually buy for its weirdest feature

I wanted a better workflow. HONOR built a robot.

HONOR Robot Phone Hands On First Impressions Review

When I was at Computex earlier this year, I shot a lot of Reels using my DJI Osmo. And don't get me wrong: that little camera is excellent. The stabilization is great, the video quality is good, and it is exactly the kind of thing you want when you're running around a trade show trying to make content. But then came the annoying part: transferring all that footage to my phone or laptop, moving it to the cloud, and finally getting it onto the platform I actually wanted to use. At some point, I remember thinking, "Why are there so many steps?"

Apparently, HONOR had the same thought. The difference is that while I just complained about it, HONOR went ahead and built a phone around the idea. The HONOR Robot Phone is, admittedly, doing a lot. It's a flagship Android phone, a miniature motorized camera gimbal, a robotic arm, and an AI playground all rolled into one. But after actually using it at IFA Berlin this year, I found myself caring far less about the novelty and far more about the camera. Because, honestly, this thing is really good.

Phones

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is an unabashedly bougie reader, but gosh, I can’t put it down

I am NOT telling you to spend $1,900 on it for reading books. And yet, here I am, surpassing my reading goals at an addictively quick pace.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

On an ordinary day, if you ask me what's the best e-reader device out there, my answer would most probably be one of Amazon's Kindle readers. I will most likely ask about your budget and your preferences before doling out a few recommendations.

If you tell me that the Kindle is too restrictive, I would point you in the direction of a Boox slate, which comes in multiple sizes across a wide price bracket. In case you are inclined towards a phone-like reader device, the Boox Palma 2 or the DuRoBo Krono would be my suggested picks. And if you're chasing something light, tiny, and open, the XTEINK X4 would be my go-to choice.

Phones

Three reasons I’m still hesitant to order the iPhone Duo

Apple’s first foldable had me reaching for my credit card, but a few days of thinking changed my mind.

iPhone Duo on table unfolded

Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo at its “Surprise and Shine” event, and my jaw dropped. To be fair, I had a pretty good idea about the phone’s hardware, but the software polish and little nice touches Apple added everywhere made me instantly pull out my credit card.

From the opening animation to the almost creaseless nano-texture display to the under-display camera to the IP68 water and dust resistance, Apple has certainly delivered with its first try at a foldable phone.