A fledgling Android browser suggests side-mounted tabs could solve mobile browsing’s clutter problem, even as Chrome leaves the feature confined to desktop.
A new Android browser experiment is making a strong case for a feature many desktop users already rely on: vertical tabs. In a recent Android Police review, the writer argues that the layout is not just a cosmetic change but a better way to handle tab-heavy browsing on a phone, especially when moving between multiple pages and trying to preserve screen space. Google has already brought vertical tabs to Chrome on desktop, and its support documentation shows the feature can be enabled there by moving the tab strip to the side of the window.
The appeal is straightforward. A side-mounted tab list can surface more tabs at once, keep page content unobstructed and make tab search easier when a browsing session grows unwieldy. Google’s desktop implementation also sits alongside related productivity tools, including tab grouping and tab search, suggesting that the company sees tab management as part of a broader effort to reduce clutter. MacRumors reported in April 2026 that Chrome gained vertical tabs on desktop, while Google’s help pages describe how users can switch them on and manage them.
The problem, as Android Police notes, is that this convenience has not yet reached Chrome’s Android app. On mobile, tab switching still relies on a more cumbersome interface that opens a separate tab overview, with limited room for previews. The reviewer argues that a sidebar approach would be more natural on a large phone, where reaching for tab controls at the top or bottom of the display can be awkward and where a compact list of icons or titles would be easier to scan than the current card-style view.
To test the idea, the writer points to Sideraven, a third-party Android browser built around a side-tab model. According to Android Police, the browser hides most controls by default and reveals them through a swipeable handle, placing the address bar and tabs at the side of the screen rather than along the top. That design makes the page itself feel less crowded and allows tabs to be reached with minimal thumb movement, although the review says the browser still feels unfinished.
The caveat is performance. Android Police says Sideraven remains slower than Chrome and that its Firefox-derived foundation will not suit everyone, particularly users who prefer Chromium-based browsers. The article also notes that the project’s developers say they used AI coding tools during development, and that the browser is currently available through GitHub rather than the Google Play Store, with a planned release on IzzyOnDroid. Even so, the broader point is clear: side tabs are no longer just a desktop convenience. On mobile, they may be even more useful.
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