Google Revives RSS: What You Need to Know

Chrome Revives RSS Feed Support in Android Canary Build

Chrome is introducing an interesting update, initially within its experimental Canary version for Android users in the U.S., that reintroduces RSS, a format previously utilized for receiving updates from preferred websites via Google Reader and comparable platforms.

New "Follow" Feature and Basic RSS Reader

Soon, Chrome users will encounter a “Follow” option for websites supporting RSS. The browser’s New Tab page will subsequently feature a rudimentary RSS reader – it could be considered a simplified iteration of “Google Reader.”

This implementation isn’t a comprehensive RSS reader. The New Tab page will display updates from followed sites in a chronological sequence. However, easy switching between different feeds doesn’t appear to be included at this stage. Nevertheless, it represents a positive initial step.

Image Credits: Google

Google's Vision for Direct Connections

“Currently, individuals employ various methods to stay informed about their favorite websites, including email subscriptions, notifications, and RSS. Managing these can be cumbersome, so we are investigating ways to streamline the process of receiving the latest content from preferred sites directly within Chrome, leveraging the open RSS web standard,” explains Janice Wong, Product Manager at Google Chrome.

“Our objective is to facilitate a direct relationship between users and their favored publishers and content creators on the web.”

Enhanced Feed Crawling for Timely Updates

According to a Google spokesperson, the company will be crawling RSS feeds more frequently. This ensures that Chrome can deliver the most current content to users within the “Following” section on the New Tab page.

The Significance of RSS

RSS was a cornerstone technology during the Web 2.0 era. Even today, it remains the most straightforward method for obtaining timely updates from websites – provided they still offer feeds – without algorithmic interference.

While consistently useful, the user experience with RSS wasn’t always optimal. Services like Google Reader (now discontinued) and Feedly significantly improved the ease of subscribing to feeds and receiving updates.

Google Reader's Demise and the Persistence of RSS

The discontinuation of Google Reader in 2013, in favor of Google+, marked the end of an era. However, dedicated news consumers continued to utilize platforms like Feedly and NetNewsWire.

A Welcome Return

Many will likely welcome Google’s decision to reintroduce RSS as a core browser feature. For those who advocate for an open web, RSS, despite its occasional imperfections, remains a valuable tool.

Experimentation and Future Development

Currently, this feature is experimental. Google intends to collect feedback from publishers, bloggers, creators, and proponents of the open web. The goal is to foster “deeper engagement between users and web publishers in Chrome.”

It is hoped that this experimental phase will not be permanent.