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Safari Browser to Get UI Overhaul and New Features Including Tab Groups

For its new mobile and desktop OSes, Apple is redesigning the Safari browser user interface to be more compact and allow for better organization of multiple open tabs, specifically with a new feature called Tab Groups.

safari ios15
Tab Groups aim to offer a new way to easily save and manage related tabs, such as those used when planning trips or shopping, or groups can be used to store the tabs you visit daily.

In addition, a new tab design on macOS puts your active tabs front and center, allowing you to see more of the page as you scroll. At the same time, the new tab bar takes on the color of the webpage and combines tabs, the tool bar, and the search field into a single compact appearance.

On iPad, the new tabs design and tab groups work just like on Mac, with instant syncing across devices. On iPhone, the new tab bar appears at the bottom under your thumb with a tap, and it's possible to swipe between them, or swipe up into a grid view.

Meanwhile new extensions for iPhone and ‌iPad‌ also add to the native functionality of Apple's web browser, with shared code with existing Safari Web Extensions to make it easier for developers to create new ones.

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Top Rated Comments

d5aqoëp Avatar
63 months ago
UI copied from Firefox 89.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Frobozz Avatar
63 months ago
My first reaction to blending the tab and address bar UI into the web page is that Apple has introduced a new set of usability problems. This will look great on idealized websites and either bad and/or will be abused intentionally by others. There is a good reason to set expectations that application UI is separated from content UI. They have different functions.

I could be wrong. I haven’t used it yet. I’ve just seen this pattern repeat at Apple over the years where they flatten or remove UI which introduces usability problems, only to re-introduce it later.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ghostface147 Avatar
63 months ago
Still won’t allow ublock origin.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tozovac Avatar
63 months ago
Please please no more disappearing controls in iOS. Screens keeps getting bigger and bigger, we can live with a few mm of controls on the screen so we don’t always have to tap to unhide what used to be there at the ready.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ferc Kast Avatar
63 months ago

UI copied from Firefox 89.
Because clearly Apple couldn't have working on this for a while instead just scrambling to put this together during this last week after Mozilla redid their browser. :rolleyes:
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
63 months ago

Power users are going to love this, but I can see this confusing so many people
Exactly! My family is going to get lost. Hate having to re-teach them how to use their devices every year. They are still getting used to having the address bar also do search. Half of the time they go to google.com then do a search
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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