iOS 18.4 makes your Safari search history way more visible, for better or worse [U]

Apple has been running a variety of ads over the past year pushing Safari as the privacy-friendly browser choice for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users. But in iOS 18.4 beta 1, there’s a new Safari feature that may accidentally undercut that message—despite offering solid utility. Update 3/19/25: Added information about a change in iOS 18.4 beta 4 below. iOS 18.4 beta 1 shows recent searches when opening a new tab The first iOS 18.4 beta is packed with a variety of big and small feature changes. One update I’ve enjoyed—but that also makes me a bit uneasy—involves Apple’s browser, Safari. Whenever you open a new Safari tab and tap into the address bar, iOS 18.4 automatically displays your recent search history on screen. I definitely see how this can be a useful feature, offering easy ways to re-visit prior searches and quickly submit them again. But it might also make some iPhone users feel uneasy seeing their recent searches featured so prominently in the app. Particularly if you eve ... Read full article.