TLDR: Says this is to fight link-shortners and cyber crime through “confusing” URLs.
Back in 2014, google rolled out " Origin Chip" formatting which showed only the top-level domain in the URL bar. After criticism, google paused it.
NOW ITS BACK AT IT!
They are thinking about it again.
EDGE tried removing critical parts of the URL, remember how that turned out?
Also, Every webpage page on chrome on entry level mobile phones has been under-the-hood doing this for years, where EVERY webpage is refirected through google first. Remember AMP URL (Accelerated Mobile Pages)
Can that come to desktop too?!!