Safari 13.1: A Quantum Leap in Browser Technology
Apple’s latest Safari browser update, version 13.1, is a game-changer for users and developers alike. This new release brings significant improvements to the web across Apple’s platforms, focusing on enhancing user privacy, optimizing performance, and enriching developer experiences.
Privacy Takes Center Stage
Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP), introduced in 2017, has been bolstered with new features to combat cross-site tracking. Full third-party cookie blocking and a 7-day expiration on non-cookie website data ensure a safer browsing experience. This update makes it much harder for websites to track user behavior, and even disables “login fingerprinting,” which can detect logged-in platforms.
AR Quick Look: A New Dimension in User Engagement
Content creators can now customize AR experiences with banners that overlay the AR view. Users can launch AR experiences from the web, and authors can tailor Apple Pay button styles, action buttons, item titles, and more.
JavaScript and CSS Additions: A Developer’s Delight
Safari 13.1 introduces support for the JavaScript replaceAll() method and the nullish coalescing operator (??). The String.prototype.replaceAll() method replaces all occurrences of a character in a string, while the nullish coalescing operator returns the right-hand side operand when the left-hand side is null or undefined.
CSS Enhancements: Platform-Specific Fonts and More
New font keywords, such as ui-serif, ui-sans-serif, ui-monospace, and ui-rounded, allow for platform-specific fonts. The line-break: anywhere value adds soft wraps around typographical character units, and the dynamic-range media query enables styles specific to display capabilities.
ResizeObserver: Responsive Design Made Easy
The Resize Observer API provides a performant mechanism for monitoring element size changes, enabling developers to design responsive components that adapt to container changes.
Web Animations API: Unleashing Animation Potential
Safari 13.1 ships with support for the Web Animations API, which bridges the gap between CSS and JavaScript animations. This API allows developers to create, query, and control animations, offering a unified model for programmatic animations, CSS animations, and transitions.
What’s Next?
These updates mark a significant leap forward for Safari, but there’s more to explore. Share your thoughts on the new features and let us know what excites you the most!