Along with features like the new Maps app, Facebook Integration, improvements to Siri, Apple had also showcased the new features and changes coming to mobile Safari in iOS 6 at the WWDC 2012 Keynote.
Here’s a walkthrough of Safari’s new features and changes in iOS 6 along with a demo video. It also includes changes that Apple had not mentioned at the event.
iCloud Tabs:
As expected, mobile Safari gets iCloud Tabs feature, which was first introduced in Mac OS X Mountain Lion. It allows users to view a list of tabs opened in the Safari web browser across multiple iOS devices and Macs, so you can pick up from where you left off on any device.
Apple basically syncs the links that are open across all your iOS devices and Mac via iCloud. You can access these links either by tapping the new iCloud icon in the toolbar on the iPad or navigate to Bookmarks -> iCloud Tabs on the iPhone. It also tells you the link is open on which iOS device. It doesn’t cache the content of the webpage, so you still need an internet connection to visit the webpage.
Offline Reading List:
Mobile Safari in iOS 6 will also save the web pages and not just the links, so you can read the contents of a webpage without an internet connection. While read it later apps have offered such as feature for quite sometime, we think the seamless integration with Safari makes it a killer feature.
You can enable or disable the use of cellular network to save Reading List items for offline reading via Settings app (Settings -> Safari -> Use Cellular Data toggle under Reading List).
Note: Offline Reading List feature is not available for iPhone 3GS and fourth-generation iPod touch users.
Uploading Photos and Video:
You no longer need to go to your computer to upload images or video on a webpage. In iOS 6, you will be able to upload images and video from the camera roll in Mobile Safari itself.
Full Screen Mode in Landscape:
When you flip to landscape mode in iOS 6 Safari, there is a new button at the bottom right corner on the toolbar, which allows you to switch to full screen mode.
While in full-screen mode, you can navigate to the previous or next webpage using back and forward translucent navigation buttons that are overlayed on the webpage as seen in the screenshot below.
New Sharing Menu:
As you can see in the screenshot below, mobile Safari gets a new sharing menu in iOS 6. Apple has added three new shortcuts to the sharing menu: 1. to copy the URL, 2. share the link on Facebook, 3. share the link using Message app.
Faster:
In addition to the UI changes and features mentioned above, Apple has also made improvements under the hood. AnandTech reports that the javascript performance is faster and mobile Safari seems to update the Status bar quicker in iOS 6 beta. AnandTech reports that overall experience feels a lot better and webpages seem to render and load faster.
Some other observations:
- There is no change in the number of webpages that you can open. It’s still 8.
- AnandTech points out that the overscroll background is now the hatched Notification Center pattern.
You can check out the demo video of the new changes and improvements in Safari in iOS 6 below (courtesy iDownloadblog):
Image Credit: iLounge, iFans Forum
