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Google AMP mobile search is ****ing with our browsing!!

d5aqoëp

d5aqoëp

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 9, 2016
1,808
3,189
This started a week ago. Whenever I search for a website on google, for example verge or even macrumors article, tapping on the link opens up an odd tab like page. See the red arrow below.

QyCcokm.jpg


bZmQfSq.png


The bar not only takes up a good amount of top space, but if you tap the lone close button, it takes you back to google.

Why do I need that huge arse close button when I can simply press the back button at the bottom left?
I also suspect that this enables Google to track our mobile browsing habits even more.

But on google search results page, if you load desktop version, tapping on any search result link does not show this behaviour.

I have so many times tapped on this close button and it takes be back to google search results.

So these days, regressions are fancy packed as updates and shoved down our throats.
Anyone having same behaviour? I tried this on iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.
 
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C

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,461
d5aqoëp said:
This started a week ago. Whenever I search for a website on google, for example verge or even macrumors article, tapping on the link opens up an odd tab like page. See the red arrow below.

QyCcokm.jpg


bZmQfSq.png


The bar not only takes up a good amount of top space, but if you tap the lone close button, it takes you back to google.

Why do I need that huge arse close button when I can simply press the back button at the bottom left?
I also suspect that this enables Google to track our mobile browsing habits even more.

But on google search results page, if you load desktop version, tapping on any search result link does not show this behaviour.

I have so many times tapped on this close button and it takes be back to google search results.

So these days, regressions are fancy packed as updates and shoved down our throats.
Anyone having same behaviour? I tried this on iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.
Click to expand...
This is basically AMP: http://www.wired.com/2016/02/googles-amp-speeding-web-changing-works/

You can request the desktop version of the page and that should reload it without the AMP container/pieces.
 
d5aqoëp

d5aqoëp

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 9, 2016
1,808
3,189
NewtonPippin said:
The very definition of a first world problem
Click to expand...
I am from India!

C DM said:
This is basically AMP: http://www.wired.com/2016/02/googles-amp-speeding-web-changing-works/

You can request the desktop version of the page and that should reload it without the AMP container/pieces.
Click to expand...
Thanks. The comments there are describing the same exact problem as me. I think MacRumors should not implement this feature. Not worth it and people stay on google instead of MacRumors or google is running in background tracking each and every click.

So how many versions Macromors has?
1. Mobile version
2. Tablet version
3. Desktop version
4. neutered AMP version

It must be a nightmare to maintain this site. Though MR has one of the best site designs of all the tech related websites and forums, helping google will never do any good. So much for a responsive design.
 
Last edited:
C

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,461
PhillyGuy72 said:
I did a search tonight on my iPhone and noticed this for the first time, looking at Google Forums..I've seen questions about this annoyance since June though! This link is from Sept. (http://www.payetteforward.com/what-is-amp-in-google-on-my-phone-iphone-android-guide/)

This is absolutely miserable, clicking the "X" just takes you back to the search page and I can't figure out a way to turn it off!! :mad:


bO7XSUL.png
Click to expand...
As mentioned earlier, requesting the desktop version of the page will (at least usually) reload it without the AMP container.
 
Last edited:
v0lume4

v0lume4

macrumors 68030
Jul 28, 2012
2,547
5,285
Google Amp articles are GREAT when you need a quick bit of information, but really annoying at other times when you actually want to view the full website. Specifically, when you want to read the comments section (because Amp articles omit them often times).

I believe the purpose is well intentioned (speed; caused by caching articles on google's servers I'm sure) but sometimes I don't want it. I didn't realize that requesting desktop site fixes this, so shout out to @C DM for pointing that out.
 
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PhillyGuy72

PhillyGuy72

macrumors 68040
Sep 13, 2014
3,073
4,650
Philadelphia, PA USA
C DM said:
As mentioned earlier, requesting the desktop version of the page will (at least usually) reload it without the AMP container.
Click to expand...

Ok, I feel a little dumb now Haha, I rarely use this feature and forgot all about it since I have to scroll over to the far right for the "Request Desktop Version". Thank you. It's an extra step but at least it works.

JwCLAaj.png
 
Gav2k

Gav2k

macrumors G3
Jul 24, 2009
9,216
1,608
Not seeing this from google.co.uk

But switching to DuckDuckGo in safaris settings resolves the issue
 
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GreyOS

GreyOS

macrumors 68040
Apr 12, 2012
3,358
1,694
AMP really sucks, for me it breaks searching on the page. And tap to scroll to top.

It's shocking the UI doesn't provide a way to load the original site, and we have to resort to other tricks.

It's shocking there doesn't appear to be a way to disable it
 
d5aqoëp

d5aqoëp

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 9, 2016
1,808
3,189
AMP adoption is increasing day by day. Getting harder to use google search.
 
Shirasaki

Shirasaki

macrumors P6
May 16, 2015
16,263
11,764
I didn't know that is Google AMP until today. Looks nice for me cause I use Plus size iPhone.
But it also causes frustration because it does not actually load a full webpage. Sometimes when I switch away and back, that frame goes away.
A better solution could be setting up global User Agent on mobile browser so that each time you browse the site, site will always try to load desktop version instead of mobile version upon request.
Oh, you can drag "request desktop site" icon so that it is closer to left side of share sheet.
 
C

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,461
Shirasaki said:
I didn't know that is Google AMP until today. Looks nice for me cause I use Plus size iPhone.
But it also causes frustration because it does not actually load a full webpage. Sometimes when I switch away and back, that frame goes away.
A better solution could be setting up global User Agent on mobile browser so that each time you browse the site, site will always try to load desktop version instead of mobile version upon request.
Oh, you can drag "request desktop site" icon so that it is closer to left side of share sheet.
Click to expand...
You can also tap an hold the reload icon in the address/search bar to get the desktop option as well.
 
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