Safari View Controller - 9 iOS feature that will forever change the face of browsers

Third-party iOS-app for a long time allowed to open links without going to the browser. A built-in mini-browser away by the speed and convenience to the Safari, they have certain security issues, but despite this, become the de facto standard in third-party applications. FROM iOS 9 everything will change. Even at the WWDC Apple has introduced Safari View Controller - a software component that allows developers to integrate into your applications a full Safari. Chief editor mac Stories Federico Vitichev spoke with the creators of the various iOS-app and find out what they think about it.

Web View

Apple is known for its commitment to the security of user data, so the relationship between applications and the Web in iOS has always been difficult. Initially, when in 2008 appeared App Store, and iOS called iPhone OS, developers can display Web content in their applications. This was done using the API UIWebView and it was very primitive. Because of the limitations and the inability to use user data from Safari, developers had to create their own mini-browsers. They equip their minimum necessary functionality to meet the needs of users.

In 2011, with the release of iOS 4.3, Apple introduced the Nitro JavaScript-engine, which significantly increased Safari performance and speed the discovery of complex pages. Nitro has been available exclusively for Safari, so third-party browsers go overboard. However, it was only logical, since the new engine could work with pages and executables, loaded into memory, and third-party applications for this feature was not available for reasons of security.

developers torment - and, more importantly, users - lasted until 2014, until Apple introduced a new API WKWebView, little by equalize. WKWebView let built-in browser to take advantage of Nitro, including smooth scrolling and gestures.

The new API was really meaningful innovation, and thousands of developers immediately update their applications to take advantage of all its benefits. In iOS 8, a huge number of applications using WKWebView to provide a better user experience.

However, despite the improvements, built-in browser is very far from the functionality that Apple has created in Safari for many years. Due to security restrictions, one of the main problems is the lack of support for "Bundles iCloud keys" and, as a consequence, autocomplete passwords and other data. The users have to switch to Safari, but it is terribly inconvenient.

Indie developer of Homegrown Software Alex Price, however, points to the advantages of forwarding of the applications in Safari. According to him, various third-party browser interface and lack some of them display the page URL visited can be a problem of phishing of user data.

Ortwin Gentz ​​from FutureTap draws attention to the shortcomings of the other interface: not all browsers have built a good load indicator and a secure connection. Developer Brian Tumblr IRES supports the general view that the mini-browser applications - it is always a compromise. On the one hand, users are easy to open links without leaving the app, but on the other - they sacrifice absence cookies and put themselves at risk by entering personal information on a page that control the display of the third person.

Safari View Controller

With iOS 9 Apple introduced Safari View Controller, which will save developers from having to write your own mini-browsers, and allows you to use Safari to display Web content.

Safari View Controller is very similar to Safari: when you open a link in Safari app user will see a page with a familiar interface. There are only two visual differences: gray color of the address bar (indicating the mode of "read-only") and typical Safari icon on the bottom panel, that in case of the need to switch to the full version browser.

With Safari View Controller Apple makes life easier for developers, saving them time, but at the same time does not cease to care about the safety of users. The thing is that the opening pages takes place in a separate process, not associated with the application, so the latter does not see the URL and site navigation.

This not only ensures the safety of user data, which are always in Safari and not transferred to third-party applications, but also allows Safari View Controller to use the other advantages, such as cookies. That is, if you log on any site in Safari, when you attempt to open a third-party application through the Safari View Controller you will not need to enter a password.

But that's not all. Apple has made it possible to use "Bundles iCloud keys" fill contact data and credit cards, as well as adding Safari Reader mode, and expansion of the "Share". Safari View Controller defines phishing and displays various web pages error, and also supports blocking unwanted contentWhich will run in Safari on iOS 9.

Positive aspects of innovation

According to Brian, IRES, Safari View Controller will quickly become the standard for viewing web content in third-party applications and users will give preference to such products. "I see no reason for the majority of developers to abandon the introduction of Safari View Controller, - he says. - archaic "will appear in future applications with built-in browser.

A leading developer of Instapaper Brian Donahue has replaced the built-in browser to Instapaper Safari View Controller. Mini browser allows users to view full-text articles in the app, but it had many limitations. Now Safari View Controller Instapaper can offer users "native» Safari functionality. "And it can not fail to please," - says Donahue.

For Anders Borum, iOS-developer client for Git Working Copy, a key advantage of Safari View Controller It is the ability to use the "iCloud Bunch of keys" and switch to Safari, performing all operations in application. Like many other third-party applications, Working Copy requires user authentication to the service from which the password is stored in iCloud and is inserted through the autocomplete. This fact alone is already a good reason for the introduction of Safari View Controller, said Borum.

It fully supports Jeff Hekuort, creator of Easy Shopping List and several other iOS-applications. «Safari View Controller should be used even for the most basic needs," - he says. The users will be familiar interface card sharing options, as well as user-friendly chips like AutoHide toolbars and navigation.

Their opinion is shared by other experienced developers, arguing it so that they Safari View Controller easy to get something that has always sought - users will be able to view web content without leaving their applications. The only reason why people are switching to Safari for viewing of certain references, - a limitation, and the inconvenience of built-in third-party browser application. Now it will remain in the past, Safari View Controller will be "the wolves are fed and the sheep are safe."

"Underwater rocks"

One of the issues discussed by developers is: is it worth sacrificing debugged solutions for many years and move to a new Safari View Controller? In other words, what to choose: the current seamlessness and flexibility with support for system functions?

Creator Andrew GiftPlanner Milham worries that Safari View Controller will never look "absolutely integrated "because of the lack of deep interface and customization, making it the perception in the annex alien. For example, the browser has a built-in GiftPlanner gestures that are not available in Safari View Controller. And yet, according to Milham, a new solution has many more advantages than disadvantages.

It is expected that with the release of iOS 9 developers known applications will not migrate to Safari View Controller, and will continue to use its built-in web browsers to display web content. In fact, in a mini-browsers most applications have the same functions as in Safari View Controller: navigation buttons, address bar, the ability to do CS.

It is logical to ask whether need the ability to communicate with other applications to large companies with their ecosystems. A striking example - Facebook and Twitter. Two of the most popular free applications in the App Store do not use extension exchange for iOS 8. Why? The answer is simple: it is unprofitable to people shared content and stores it in other places, outside their own ecosystems. For these reasons, companies such as Google, Facebook and Twitter, will not hurry with the Safari View Controller integration, thereby slowing its widespread introduction.

With Safari View Controller to Twitter to iOS users to save links to all services, while Facebook will not be able to keep track of the pages that users go. The same applies to Gmail - Google will not be able to analyze the outgoing traffic from the email application. And just a few examples. For companies that depend on the collection and analysis of user data, Safari View Controller does not bode well.

However, the new Apple software component there is another problem: how users will be able to know for sure that they are in a safe environment? Safari View Controller superficially similar to Safari, but it is not part of it. Built-in browser interface giving visual similarity with Safari View Controller, unscrupulous developers will be able to gain access to passwords and other sensitive data from the "Keychain iCloud». Even tech-savvy users can not determine the authenticity of Safari View Controller.

And the last fly in the ointment. Applications with specific functions are also unlikely to give up their own browsers in favor of Safari View Controller. Such applications include, for example, download managers. The ability to upload files is implemented by developers in their mini-browsers, but it certainly will not work in Safari View Controller.

New Web View

The developers of most third-party applications do not get from creating their own browsers neither pleasure nor profit. As with any function in the application, it takes time and resources to develop, so the Safari View Controller will allow them to lose this weight from their shoulders and focus on other applications and functions improvement.

Safari View Controller - This is a rare opportunity for developers to easily provide users with a better and safer user experience.

Brian IRES, a developer of Tumblr

Apple willingness to protect confidential user data - this is the main feature of Safari View Controller. It combines the best aspects of Safari, which will always remain inaccessible to third-party browsers: a unified user experience, speed, security, and full-featured.

"Fast and secure browser within the application are equally important for developers and users" - sums up Alex Price. Toward the end of the year, we are likely to see widespread distribution and acceptance of Safari View Controller in the majority of third-party applications.