According to the latest reports, Apple iOS 15.4 has given us a glimpse of new features in the upcoming Safari update, introducing push notifications for web apps and support for AR/VR headsets. However, the WebKit code now shows that more features are coming, including new settings for dark mode and popups.
WebKit is Apple’s browser engine that powers Safari and other web browsers. Since WebKit is an open-source engine, its code is public and accessible to anyone on GitHub. Some recent changes Apple has made to the WebKit code hint at new features in the Safari browser.
Dark Mode was introduced to iPhone and iPad devices in iOS 13, and since then developers have been able to match the interface of their apps and websites to the current system theme. In an upcoming Safari update, users will also be able to set a preferred mode for each website.
Spotted in the WebKit code, Apple is implementing a new option that allows “overriding the system’s color mode with each website’s preferences”. For example, you can choose to always view a particular website in dark mode, even if your phone has light mode enabled.
Similar to this option, there is also an option that will let users allow or block modal pop-ups (which look like system alerts) for specific websites on iOS and macOS. Apple has also been working on a new API to manage so-called “Cookie Consent,” since many sites require users to consent to the collection of cookies.
It’s unclear exactly when these features will be available in Safari, as they’re all labeled “TBA.” They may be added to Safari in a future iOS 15 updates or in iOS 16 later this year.