Coming of page: Web browsers are changing to make room for the future

New companies are breaking the mould — to make room for more, add AI functionality, enhance efficiency. Not just for phones but for fridges, TVs, smart cars too

For decades, internet browsers looked largely the same: an address bar at the top, large buttons for back and home, a row of bookmarks, and tabs.

The Browser Company’s Arc has moved the address bar and tabs to the left of the screen, making more room for the vertical scroll. Zoho’s Ulaa puts privacy first, generating a randomised browser ID each time the app is used. Vivaldi takes a clutter-free approach, to create browsers with an optimal interface for smaller and smaller devices. (Adobe stock)

Today’s most popular browsers still look much the same. But they are quietly making room for AI chatbots, online gaming, built-in VPNs (or virtual private networks), virtual desktops and tab stacks.

Then, there are the newer alternatives that don’t follow this template at all. They are moving things around to make more room for