Apple is testing a version of its Safari web browser that includes an AI-powered tool called Intelligent Search. Intelligent Search leverages Apple's on-device AI technology to identify topics and key phrases within a web page to create summaries. The exact implementation of the feature is still unknown. The new Safari will also have a feature called Web Eraser that will allow users to remove specific portions of web pages. Apple is working on a powerful visual search feature that will allow users to obtain information on consumer products when browsing through images, scheduled for integration sometime in 2025.
Wednesday, May 1, 2024Convincing iOS users to use Google's own apps instead of Safari has been a challenge for Google. Google hired former Instagram and Yahoo executive Robby Stein to oversee the push from Safari. The company reportedly considered limiting its AI Overviews feature to its own apps, excluding Safari users, but ultimately decided against the move.
Apple has introduced a new feature in Safari called "Distraction Control" to improve user experience by hiding unnecessary elements like pop-up cookie settings during browsing. Users can activate this feature by selecting the "Hide Distracting Elements" option and choosing specific items to remove, which disappear with a smooth animation. Safari also remembers user preferences for future visits.