iOS 18 could introduce a new AI-based browsing assistant for Safari, according to server-side backend code discovered by Nicolas Alvarez and corroborated by MacRumors.
The backend code references two features likely to be powered by AI, which is said to be a major focus point with iOS 18 and WWDC 2024. According to Alvarez, the discovered code includes references to “Safari browsing assistant” and “Encrypted visual search,” with both utilizing the backend infrastructure of iCloud’s Private Relay enabled by the iCloud+ subscription.
While details of what both of these features might entail remain limited, the browsing assistant will likely offer features like webpage summarization, something that is already available with competing third-party browsers like Arc Search and Copilot on Microsoft Bing. Visual search could provide a smart contextual understanding of content displayed on the current webpage similar to what’s currently possible with Google’s Circle to Search.
Both of the mentioned features are likely to be powered by cloud-based AI processing rather than on-device as evidenced by the reliance on iCloud Private Relay. As such, these features could be partly powered by several possible third-party AI vendors like OpenAI, Google’s Gemini, and Baidu. Apple has reportedly held talks with these companies to provide a backend for cloud AI features, while other on-device AI capabilities will be powered by Apple’s in-house models.
Apple is strongly rumored to bring forward a slew of new AI-based features across the board with iOS 18, macOS 15, and more at WWDC 2024. Apple is aiming to introduce AI capabilities within every corner of iOS 18 as the company has largely remained silent features-wise on today’s AI frenzy that has swept the market.
Look out for AI-powered features spanning Siri, Messages, Spotlight Search, Apple Music, Xcode, and more. iOS 18 is also said to introduce considerable UI design changes across the board, with these changes said to make the update one of the biggest in iPhone’s history.
