APREX · EST. 2026
Apple's annual developer conference WWDC put artificial intelligence front and center in 2026, and the Safari browser received a significant upgrade. The company introduced a range of new features designed to make browsing both smarter and more private — all without user data ever leaving the device.
Machine learning stops the trackers
Safari's Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) has used on-device machine learning since 2017 to identify and block advertisers' attempts at cross-site tracking. With the new updates presented at WWDC, the system is said to become even sharper at recognizing which domains are used for tracking, and at isolating or deleting associated data — all directly on the user's device, according to Digi.no.
One notable detail: Safari was actually the first major browser to block third-party cookies by default, as far back as 2005. Since 2019, all such cookies have been blocked automatically.
Two relays to make you invisible
Apple's iCloud Private Relay, part of the iCloud+ subscription, is also receiving improvements. The service works by routing Safari's network traffic through two separate relays: the first, operated by Apple, sees the user's IP address but encrypts DNS lookups so the destination website remains hidden. The second relay, operated by a third party, generates a temporary IP address and connects the user to the website.
The result is that neither Apple nor the third party alone holds enough information to link a user's identity to their browsing behavior.
The feature does have limitations: it applies only to Safari traffic, not to other apps or browsers. Certain corporate and educational networks are also unable to use the service, and some websites that rely on IP filtering may require Private Relay to be temporarily disabled.
User control at the center
A common thread running through the updates is that Apple places control firmly in the user's hands. Settings for cross-site tracking, IP address masking, camera and microphone access, and browser extension permissions can all be adjusted on a per-site basis. Extensions must also declare which data they wish to access, and users can restrict this to specific domains or grant access for one day only.
Experts are not entirely impressed
Despite Apple's aggressive push on privacy, experts are not unanimous in their praise. Albert Fox Cahn, executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, stated in 2024 that Safari would not make the podium if browser privacy were an Olympic event. The remark suggests that Apple gets a lot right, but that competition is fierce and that real shortcomings remain.
It is worth noting that the sourcing for the specific new features announced at WWDC 2026 is limited, and the details from Digi.no's coverage are not fully available for verification. The account presented here is based on established technical documentation combined with the broader news picture from the conference.
What does this mean for you?
For everyday users, the updates mean that Safari continues to strengthen its reputation as the most privacy-friendly of the major browsers — without requiring any manual configuration. Most of the protection mechanisms are active by default.
For those who want full control, the new settings provide a more granular toolkit than before. The combination of on-device machine learning, dual-relay architecture, and fine-grained user control makes Safari an increasingly complete privacy tool — even if there are voices who argue that the road to the top is still a long one.