New Safari Features: Vertical Tabs and Adaptive Dark Mode
New Safari Capabilities
Apple has introduced a series of significant updates for Safari in the latest version 27.3 developer beta of its operating systems. While Safari competes globally with browsers like Chrome, it remains the primary tool for Apple's billions of users. The new update, available for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, directly addresses user demand.
The most notable addition is vertical tabs. This feature, popular in rival browsers, has now been integrated into Safari. Users can place tabs on the left side of the screen, allowing for better space management. Tabs initially appear as icons, though hovering or tapping them reveals full information. Functionality for rearranging and grouping tabs has also been added.
Adaptive Dark Mode and Artificial Intelligence
Another major update is the "adaptive" Dark Mode. Previously, dark mode only functioned on websites that officially supported it; now, Safari can adapt any site itself. The browser will automatically darken light-background pages, adjusting graphic elements and vector images without compromising the design. Developers will have the ability to use special tags to opt their sites out of these automatic changes.
On devices supporting Apple Intelligence, Safari gains new features through Siri. Siri can now "see" the entire webpage, including parts not currently on screen, and assists users in automatically grouping tabs. For example, the browser can categorize open pages based on specific topics or prices and clear history according to specific criteria.
Additional Updates and Availability
Version 27.3 includes further updates, such as Siri App Actions, which help with file organization and travel planning. For the Apple Watch Series 12, Audio Intelligence features have been added: "Live rewind" for replaying conversations and "Siri Recap," which converts long speeches or lectures into brief summaries.
Currently, these features are only available in the developer beta. Apple warns that developer betas may be unstable, so installing them on primary devices is not recommended. An official release date is not yet known, but these updates represent a significant milestone in Safari's future development.