Your Chrome browser may soon show a Google Shopping widget on the new tab page

Most people prefer their new tab page to include a Google search bar and nothing more. They like it to be simple and to the point, while others prefer to have an extension show them other things like a relaxing motion wallpaper or a clock widget. Instead, a Google Shopping widget may soon occupy that space and I’m willing to bet most users aren’t going to be happy about it.

Thanks to TechDows, who found that that in Chrome Canary with new tab page modules enabled (chrome://flags/#ntp-modules), they were able to turn on another flag titled chrome://flags/#ntp-shopping-tasks-module, which then created a dismissable Google Shopping widget under the search bar and quick links on their new tab page.

It looks as though the suggestions on this new widget will feature items you’ve previously looked across Google services or items similar to them in an effort to increase Google Shopping traffic. You can manage what information Google uses for targeted advertising on your My Activity Page. With this new feature showing up in Chrome Canary just days after Google rolled out price tracking and insights in Shopping lends more credence to the fact that they’re planning to really push the service during this upcoming holiday season which will largely be digital thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Google has mentioned to concerned users that these suggestions are anything but ads. Instead, they are source free shopping listings that are in no way sponsored. The NTP Shopping Tasks Module will work across Mac, Windows, Linux and Chrome OS. There has been no indication of whether it will work on Android and iOS through the Chrome Browser at launch.