Apple updates WebKit, adds new features to Safari

Apple’s latest version of Safari was unveiled at WWDC as part of the newly announced macOS Sonoma. The new version of the browser brings new privacy features, including the ability to lock your browser window, block tracks, and remove URL traces. Safari can now also share passwords and passphrases to groups that use iCloud Keychain. Transmission is done using end-to-end encryption.

Perhaps the biggest new addition to Safari is the ability to create profiles. Now, when you browse, you can sandbox separately for your activities, such as work and personal browsing. The feature will help keep data and tracks from getting mixed up and help you browse in a more organized way.

Apple is once again focusing on WebApps, allowing developers to take advantage of the new Add to Dock feature so you can quickly access that app. Safari is built on the WebKit engine, which also gets a lot of updates, including features like added vibration support for controllers, support for external webcams in the iPad version of Safari, and support for older AVIF. macOS versions starting with Big Sur.

Apple claims that Safari is “the best way to browse the web” and is “the world’s fastest browser”. Notably, iOS and iPadOS third-party browsers still require WebKit to run under the hood.