iOS 18 rumored to feature a Safari browsing assistant, encrypted visual search

In a tweet, Apple leaker says iOS 18 will include a Safari browsing assistant and encrypted visual search.

“Both features seem to use the Private Relay infrastructure to send data to Apple (so that they don’t know your IP?),” he tweets.

According to Apple, iCloud Private Relay helps prevent websites and network providers from creating a detailed profile about you. When Private Relay is turned on, the traffic leaving your device is encrypted and sent through two separate internet relays. 

This prevents websites from seeing your IP address and location and network providers from collecting your browsing activity. Neither one knows both who you are and what websites you visit.

You can customize the specificity of your IP address location. By default, Private Relay maintains your general location, which allows Safari to show you localized content and results. You can choose to share a broader location.

You can turn iCloud Private Relay on or off at any time. You can turn the feature on or off completely for a device, or adjust the settings for a specific Wi-Fi network, Ethernet network, or cellular plan (SIM).

I’m note sure exactly what a Safari browsing assistant entails, but 9to5Mac thinks it may bring artificial intelligence features (AI) features of some sort to Safari, similar to what other browsers already offer. And it’s not clear if “encrypted visual search” is just a more secure version of existing features or something new.