Vivaldi has released version 7.4 of its iOS browser, introducing background audio playback that lets users continue streaming music, podcasts, and videos even when switching apps or locking their screen.
We've tested the feature, and it works seamlessly with YouTube and other streaming services, eliminating interruptions during multitasking. Combined with a new setting that prevents links from automatically opening external apps, users can stay within Vivaldi while consuming media content.
Tab management upgrades include the addition of pinning and stacking capabilities. Users can pin frequently accessed sites like email or news feeds to the left side of the tab bar for quick access, while tab stacking allows grouping related sites together, with customizable names and colors to differentiate between stacks.
Elsewhere, the browser's history controls have been refined with new settings for search and typed history in the address bar. Users can now choose how much browsing data the browser remembers, offering either suggestion-based browsing or a fresh start.
There are also visual improvements including a redesigned tab bar featuring "floating tabs" inspired by Vivaldi's desktop version. Vivaldi says the cleaner design aims to make it easier to distinguish between open tabs while giving the browser a more modern appearance.
Vivaldi has an employee-owned structure without external investors, and sees itself as a privacy-focused alternative that prioritizes user experience over data collection. Vivaldi 7.4 is available now through the App Store for iPhone and iPad users. [Direct Link]
Wednesday October 1, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, and Safari.
More features and changes will follow in future versions,...
Apple is entering its most significant leadership transition in more than a decade as multiple senior executives prepare to depart and CEO Tim Cook begins to shape the company's next generation of leaders, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained that Jeff Williams, who was viewed as Cook's potential successor for several...
Thursday October 2, 2025 7:26 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Nearly two weeks after the iPhone 17 series launched, analysts at investment banking firm Morgan Stanley said demand for the devices has been "modestly stronger than we originally expected," based on a combination of extended shipping estimates on Apple's online store and information it gathered from Apple's supply chain.
There has been strong early demand for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro,...
Saturday October 4, 2025 8:19 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple's website offers a list of nearly 200 new features and changes (PDF file) included in the software update, released last month.
Apple also shared equivalent lists for iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe.
iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 and newer. To install the update, open the Settings app on your iPhone, tap on General, and tap on Software Update.
Below, we have highlighted eight ...
Monday October 6, 2025 11:56 am PDT by Juli Clover
With the second beta of iOS 26.1, Apple updated the design of alarms set on the iPhone, making them harder to dismiss than before.
Stopping an alarm in iOS 26.1 beta 2 requires a new Slide to Stop gesture rather than a simple tap. You can continue to tap to snooze an alarm, but if you want to turn it off entirely, you need to use a swipe.
Transitioning from a tap to a slide gesture to...
Monday October 6, 2025 5:05 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
A new iPad mini is "absolutely" on the way, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released a year ago?
Processor and Performance
Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to information found in code that Apple mistakenly shared in...
Friday October 3, 2025 3:39 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
The MacBook Air is Apple's most popular laptop – a thin, fanless machine that wields quiet power thanks to the efficiency of Apple silicon. While the M4 model isn't exactly old, attention is already turning to its successor.
Apple doesn't telegraph new product launches ahead of time, but we can draw a surprisingly clear picture of what to expect by looking at Apple's silicon roadmap,...
After launching new iPhones last month, Apple is promoting iCloud+ with a prominent banner on its home page, in a bid to boost its services revenue. In addition to more storage, all iCloud+ plans include five perks for iPhone users.
As a refresher, iCloud includes 5GB of storage for free. If you want extra storage, you need to subscribe to an iCloud+ plan. In the United States, prices range...
Can this be done in Safari? It's a pain when I want to stay in the browser and it opens the app. "prevents links from automatically opening external apps"
I'd be surprised if Alphabet allowed that but I'll try too. Not sure why Apple doesn't want to unlock multitasking features that computers have been providing forever.
Brave browser has had it for a while, and Google hasn't blocked it. I consume all of my YT videos in Brave because of this, the PiP, and the fact that they play add free, which I believe are all paid features.
Backgrounds playback of YouTube sounds pretty good. Need to test soon. ?
I'd be surprised if Alphabet allowed that but I'll try too. Not sure why Apple doesn't want to unlock multitasking features that computers have been providing forever.
