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Apple’s Safari Is Getting Mobile Browser Extensions Before Google Chrome Does
By Alexa Heah, 14 Jun 2021
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Image via Primakov / Shutterstock.com
When Apple launches iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 in the fall, the Safari browser on iPhones and iPads will get a major update: extensions.
This will allow users to download software add-ons to enhance their browsing experience, similar to how it works on the Mac version of Safari. Popular extensions include those that block advertisements, prevent online tracking, allow you to access a VPN, or auto-fill passwords.
According to CNET, Apple has been testing the mobile Safari extensions with three developers: Grammarly, a grammar checker; Honey, a coupon finder; and Momentum, a browser tab manager.
While most extensions currently available on Mac should work on the mobile and tablet browser, developers could still need some time to make adjustments so that everything runs smoothly on smaller screens, explained Safari engineer David Quesada.
Apple isn’t the first tech company to introduce mobile browser extensions, but it’s gotten to the finish line more quickly than Google Chrome, its main competitor. It shouldn’t be long before the latter releases the mobile version of its extension capabilities, too.
[via CNET, cover image via Primakov / Shutterstock.com]
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