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Safari on iPhone and iPad might soon get much needed quality of life improvements

By Minjun Park
1 min read
ios 15 safari feature
ios 15 safari feature
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Who doesn’t love a well-made Dark Mode on their screen? But let’s be honest, not all websites have a decent one and what do we normally do in that case? Well, one option is to use your device’s internal Dark Mode feature.

On iPhones and iPads, as with other phones and tablets, whichever of the two modes you choose is applied to all of the systems, apps, and therefore—websites.

More specifically, the report states that new code was found inside WebKit, the browser engine powering Safari, indicating the app might soon get support for per-website Dark Mode. In other words, no matter the color scheme of a website or your device, you will be able to control in which of the modes (Light and Dark) said website appears.

What’s more, an equally, if not even more useful feature has also been found inside the new code. Apparently, Apple is also working on a way to give users the ability to block modal pop-ups for specific websites. These pop-ups are usually disguised as system alerts with the aim to trick you into tapping on them.

If it really comes to fruition, being able to block these pop-ups would serve as a welcome boost in security while browsing through Safari. In addition to that, Apple is also seemingly preparing a new API for managing “Cookie Consent.”

All of the features mentioned above, however, have not been commented on officially by Apple in any way. For now, they have a “to be announced” status in the WebKit code. That said, Apple’s Spring Event is probably nearing, with WWDC following after, so it shouldn’t be too long for us to find out. There is some probability that the tech giant is saving those for the release of iOS 16.

Questions & Answers

Q.

What improvements might Safari users see on iPhone and iPad?

A.

Safari might soon offer per-website Dark Mode, allowing users to control a website's appearance regardless of the device's color scheme. It could also include the ability to block specific modal pop-ups and a new API for managing cookie consent.

Q.

How were these potential new features discovered?

A.

New code indicating these improvements was found inside WebKit, the browser engine that powers Safari. This code suggests Apple is working on these capabilities, though they are currently marked as 'to be announced'.

Q.

Has Apple confirmed these upcoming features for Safari?

A.

No, Apple has not officially commented on any of the mentioned features. They currently hold a 'to be announced' status within the WebKit code, meaning official confirmation is still pending.

Q.

When might these Safari improvements be announced or released?

A.

There is a possibility these features could be announced around Apple's Spring Event or WWDC, which are expected soon. There is also some probability they could be released with iOS 16.

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