Safari on iOS could soon support web push notifications

Safari is one of the best browsers available on Apple’s operating systems. It’s fast, efficient when it comes to battery usage, and works as expected. However, one main feature remains missing from the iOS version of the app — web push notifications. This makes depending on Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) a pain, as they’re unable to deliver timely information. Fortunately, it seems that this may no longer be the case in the near future. iOS 15.4 beta 1 reveals that Apple is working on bringing web push notifications to Safari on iPhone. It’s still unclear when (if ever) the feature will actually be released, though.

Maximiliano Firtman has reported (via iThinkDifferent) that Apple has implemented new Safari experimental features in iOS 15.4 beta 1. These experiments include two revolving around potential web push notifications support on iPhone. Safari on macOS already supports this feature. However, it has been absent on the company’s mobile operating system since its release. Enabling the relevant toggles in the experimental features of Safari doesn’t actually has any effect as of now. The feature is broken — which isn’t surprising at all, considering it’s still a first beta.

Adding notification support to Safari on iOS would bring PWAs a step closer to becoming a decent equivalent for native apps. The company is seemingly working on improving the PWA experience on iOS and iPadOS. Maximiliano’s report also mentions that this beta includes better support for PWA Home Screen icons, as well.

It’s unclear when and if Apple will actually enable notifications on Safari for iOS. We only hope to see it sooner rather than later —  for it’s long overdue. The company is clearly working on improving Safari, though. You can read Firtman’s report on all of the changes he has discovered in this beta on his website.

Do you add PWAs to your iOS Home Screen? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments section below.