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jonny_evans

How and why Apple users should switch to DuckDuckGo for search

Apple users who care about privacy are moving to DuckDuckGo for search. These tips will get you started with it.

apple maps duckduckgo

Like liberty for all, privacy demands vigilance, and that’s why Apple users who care about those things are moving to DuckDuckGo for search.

Why use DuckDuckGo?

Privacy is under attack.

It doesn’t take much effort to prove this truth. At time of writing, recent news is full of creeping privacy erosion:

  • We’ve seen video conferencing solutions that surreptitiously install software on your Macs .
  • A face-changing photography app perhaps implicated in the assembly of a vast database of faces .
  • A household name in smart speakers has  shared private conversations with people you don’t know, including chatter you didn’t know was recorded in the first place.

And then there’s Duck Duck Go.

With Duck Duck Go, you are the searcher, not the searched

I think most Apple users know about DuckDuckGo. It is an independent search engine designed from the ground up to maintain your privacy .

It means the search service doesn’t collect information about you, doesn’t gather your search queries, and doesn’t install cookies or tracking code on your systems.

It now also provides highly accurate maps thanks to a deal with Apple that lets it use the also private-by-design Apple Maps service. To do this, the search engine is using Apple’s MapKit JS framework, which Apple created so website owners could embed maps in their sites.

Maps on DuckDuckGo are quite satisfying and will only improve as Apple introduces more detailed maps, better local business listings, and additional feature. You should see this service in action here .

How Apple Maps works on DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo added Apple Maps support at the beginning of 2019.

Since then, it has introduced a set of compelling improvements to how it works, thanks to Apple’s framework. You now get better implementation of Maps in your search, including the benefit of local search results. Additional enhancements include:

  • Map re-querying : You can now refine search queries within the expanded maps view. You can also zoom in and out or move around the map to find other results that match your search.
  • Local autocomplete : You will be provided with search suggestions as you type based on the local region visible on your map. Type fuel in a map of the Arizona desert, and you can see how many miles you’ll need to walk if your fuel runs out.
  • Dedicated Maps tag : Look at the top of a search result, and you’ll find a Maps tab, which joins the images, videos, news, and meanings tabs.

There’s even a Dark Mode that is enabled when you switch to DuckDuckGo’s dark theme – when you switch, you’ll see the embedded Apple Maps also do so.

(Switch to dark theme in the search engine’s Settings, which you’ll find here . You can also discover much more information on how the search engine protects your privacy, primarily by not collecting it in the first place.)

How do they ensure your privacy when running map and address-related searches?  DuckDuck Go explains :

“With Apple, as with all other third parties we work with, we do not share any personally identifiable information such as IP address. And for local searches in particular, where your approximate location information is sent by your browser to us, we discard it immediately after use.”

How to set DuckDuckGo as default search on Apple devices

There are two ways to use DuckDuckGo rather than Google for search:

1. You can visit the DuckDuckGo.com website and use search in your browser there.

2. You can also change your Mac, iPhone or iPad’s default search service in order to use the far more private alternative. I think most readers know about this, but just in case:

  • On a Mac:  Safari Preferences>choose the Search tab and choose DuckDuckGo in the drop down list of search engine choices.
  • On iOS/iPad OS:  Settings>Safari and select DuckDuckGo from the options provided in the Search Engine section. You need to do this for all your devices individually.

Once you change your default search engine, all the searches you make in the future will be made using the more private service. You may even want to switch to using MeWe as a social network to replace Facebook while you’re at it.

Up next…

“We believe there should be no trade-off for people wanting to protect their personal data while searching,” the search engine explains. “Working with Apple Maps to enhance DuckDuckGo Search is an example of how we do this and pushes us further in our vision of setting a new standard of trust online.”

This is all well and good, but how do they see this experience extending itself in future?

I am not currently in possession of a working crystal ball, but here are two realistic and possible ways the service could be extended:

  • Imagine how cool this would be with the addition of Apple’s delightfully lag-free Look Around Street View-killer.
  • Imagine how embedded AR experiences could also become part of what’s on offer through the search service.

Why not? We know Apple takes this stuff seriously . It is surely only a matter of time until it declines Google for search .

Like liberty for all, privacy demands vigilance. Be vigilant.

Please follow me on   Twitter , or join me in the  AppleHolic’s bar & grill  and  Apple Discussions  groups on MeWe.

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jonny_evans

Hello, and thanks for dropping in. I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Jonny Evans, and I've been writing (mainly about Apple) since 1999. These days I write my daily  AppleHolic blog at Computerworld.com, where I explore Apple's growing identity in the enterprise. You can also keep up with my work at AppleMust , and follow me on Mastodon , LinkedIn and (maybe) Twitter .

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We tried eight other iphone browsers so you don't have to.

Apple's Safari browser for the iPhone is fast and secure, but other browsers have more privacy features and greater customization options.

The easiest  iPhone  browser choice is Safari, which  Apple  pre-installs, but there are plenty of alternatives, and there are at least eight that deserve a closer look for anyone seeking something a little bit different. Because while Apple frequently touts its focus on privacy, some third-party browsers claim to do even more. Another common thread from other browsers is compatibility with the desktop app and unique user interface features.

With many websites having dedicated apps, some users no longer rely upon a web browser for daily activity. Every major social media, shopping and most financial companies use apps to enhance security while making it quicker and easier to log in with a glance (Face ID) or a press of the finger (Touch ID). Google and Bing searches are even possible via apps, eliminating opening a browser when looking up information online. Something that most apps lack, however, is the ability to open tabs and that convenience and control are hard to beat.

Related: Can You Move The Search Bar On iPhone?

The iPhone's Safari app is perfectly okay to use as a web browser without looking elsewhere. It's fast, secure, and well-integrated with the rest of Apple's ecosystem, making it an excellent default choice for the iPhone. There are, however, good reasons to shop around, with the most obvious being desktop browser compatibility. For iPhone owners that also use a Mac or MacBook, website passwords and bookmarks, tab groups and shipping addresses carry over from one device to the next via Apple's Continuity features . It's a different story for Windows PC owners since Apple doesn't make Safari for Windows. For that matter, Safari won't work with a Chromebook or Linux computer either. However, if the mobile app matches the installed desktop browser, synchronization data between the two is still possible. For those using Google Chrome on a computer, it might make the most sense to use it on the iPhone as well. The same is true of Mozilla's Firefox and Firefox Focus, Microsoft's Edge, DuckDuckGo, Opera and Opera GX, as well as the Brave browser.

Google Chrome For iPhone

Google Chrome is the world's most popular web browser on the desktop and smartphones. Its share of users on the iPhone is small compared to Safari usage, but  plenty of people use and prefer Chrome . Moreover, it's pretty convenient when also using a device that runs Android. Copy a link and bookmark it in Chrome on the iPhone, and it will be there on the Android phone as well, and vice versa. Chrome also works on Windows, a Mac and a Chromebook, bridging the divide between platforms.

Mozilla Firefox & Firefox Focus For iPhone

Mozilla's browser has been around for longer than almost any other browser, preceding Safari and Chrome. As a veteran of the early internet, Firefox has a loyal following of web developers that came to rely upon its advanced JavaScript debugging controls on the desktop. Unfortunately, the mobile browser is required to use Apple's WebKit rendering, meaning some of what makes Firefox unique is lost on the iPhone. The same is true of Google Chrome and every other iPhone browser. Apple considers it a security risk to allow another backend solution. That said, Firefox is an excellent browser with a big following.

Mozilla also makes another web browser for the iPhone called Firefox Focus, and it's designed to keep things simple. A somewhat debatable 'feature' is a total lack of tabs. Users can open only one web page at a time. After  Firefox Focus  is installed, a Safari extension with content blocking controls becomes available, providing an extra incentive to get this app. A trash can icon at the bottom of the screen can quickly dump browsing history and close the open page.

Microsoft Edge For iPhone

Microsoft Edge is the default browser for Windows PCs, making this a good choice for iPhone owners that work or play on Windows computers. Edge is quite different from the old Internet Explorer browser that crumbled under the combined force of Chrome, Firefox and Safari, which adopted modern web standards much sooner. By comparison, Edge feels quick and light, allowing users to earn Microsoft Rewards while browsing. Edge also provides unique tools to help with comparison shopping, such as collections and coupons.

DuckDuckGo For iPhone

As silly as the name sounds, DuckDuckGo is a real web browser made by the same company behind the increasingly popular search engine by the same name. Naturally, every search made in this iPhone browser gives the results from the DuckDuckGo search engine, so fans of this alternative to Google and Bing will want to check out this web browser. DuckDuckGo also includes a special Fire button at the bottom, which allows quickly 'burning' all tabs and browsing data , so no evidence remains on the iPhone.

Opera & Opera GX For iPhone

Opera is another web browser that has been around for decades but always seems to be innovating to add value . Opera Flow is an excellent example of this. It connects an iPhone or Android phone to a Mac or Windows computer to allow more than just syncing bookmarks. Flow provides a short-term shared online space for encrypted file transfers between devices. With a quick QR code scan on the computer screen, the setup is complete, and users can move files back and forth with ease. Opera also can be told to dismiss those annoying cookie permission popups automatically.

A variation on Opera called Opera GX has a smooth gaming flavor with custom theming to showcase favorite games or screenshots and a gaming news feed called GX Corner that appears on each new tab. In addition, the Fast Action Button allows super-fast, one-handed browsing with the swipe of a thumb. It's one of the most distinctive browsers available and worth a look.

Brave For iPhone

Brave is another privacy-focused browser. A key feature that distinguishes it from others is the ability to lock the browser, so Face ID or Touch ID is required to use it even if the iPhone is already unlocked. This protects browser information if the device is snatched out of the user's hand while in use, which sadly has been known to happen. DuckDuckGo and Firefox Focus are the only other browsers with this degree of protection.

With so many excellent browsers available on the iPhone, it might be challenging to choose which to use. Safari is an easy and obvious pick and works well. There is absolutely nothing wrong with staying right there . For more advanced privacy controls that lock down the browser and quickly zap away browsing data, Brave and DuckDuckGo are excellent choices. For compatibly with Android and Windows, it's hard to beat Chrome or Firefox and Edge, although Opera is a multi-platform browser as well with some unique capabilities. The  iPhone  can handle multiple web browsers. The default browser can be changed easily, so it might be best to install any of these interesting free apps and explore the possibilities.

Next: How To Replace Safari With Different Browser App On iPhone

Source:  App Store 1 , 2 , 3 ,  4, 5 , 6 , 7 , 8

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8 iPhone browser apps you should use instead of Safari

Bryan M. Wolfe

By default, the Safari web browser is available on every iPhone, including the iPhone 15 series. Nevertheless, several other web-browsing options can be found on the App Store, each with at least one unique feature that distinguishes it from the others. While some web browser apps like Google Chrome, DuckDuckGo, and Microsoft Edge might already be familiar to you, others such as Aloha and Arc Search may not be.

Google Chrome

Microsoft edge, aloha browser, brave browser, opera browser, duckduckgo private browser, firefox focus, which safari alternative should you choose.

If you’re looking for a Safari alternative, here are our favorite iPhone browser apps you should consider using instead.

Google Chrome is the most popular browser in the world. It stands out as offering one of the best user interfaces for newcomers. Its rapid browsing speed, integration with Google Search, and robust security measures against malware and phishing attempts contribute to its popularity.

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An essential feature of Chrome is the ability to sign in with your Google Account, which allows you to synchronize bookmarks and browsing history across devices where Chrome is active. Chrome also includes a password manager that stores website login details, simplifying the login process without the need to recall numerous credentials. Users can also leverage Google services like Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos to ensure password accessibility across these platforms for convenience.

In short, Google Chrome emerges as the choice for individuals seeking a browsing experience across their range of devices within the Google ecosystem. If you’re a big Google user, this is the way to go.

Download Google Chrome

Arc Search is the latest addition to the selection of mobile web browsers, and it evolved from its desktop version, which was initially launched in 2023. Arc is unique from other web browsers because it uses artificial intelligence (AI) to perform searches on your behalf. Although it may take some time to get used to, the result is an exciting spin on search .

By utilizing the app’s “Browse for Me” functionality, you can view a typical search page with the AI to gather information from six different sources. This will provide a personalized webpage showcasing all the essential details required to answer your search query.

If you do a traditional search, Arc makes it simple to choose your search engine among a list of choices, starting with your iPhone’s default web browser.

Spaces is an exciting feature of Arc Search that lets you organize tabs and themes for a personalized look. Perhaps best of all, Arc Search prioritizes security and privacy and doesn’t track browser activity or search history. It’s one of the more unique Safari alternatives, but if you want a wholly new web-browsing experience, it’s well worth checking out.

Download Arc Search

If you’re already using Microsoft Edge on your Mac or PC, you might find the Microsoft Edge browser helpful. It offers password monitoring, ad tracker blocking, and other features many browsers lack. You can use the InPrivate browsing feature to browse the web without saving your browsing history, cookies, or other data. Microsoft Edge also includes AI capabilities through its Copilot tool, which makes searching easier.

With Microsoft Edge, you can sync your favorites, passwords, and browsing data between your mobile device and other devices. You can also earn rewards points through the Microsoft Rewards program, which you can redeem for various benefits like Starbucks gift cards, a free month of Xbox Game Pass, and more.

Microsoft Edge, even with its AI tools, is best considered a traditional browsing tool for mobile and desktop. That alone means it’s not for everyone. Nonetheless, it’s reliable and stable and gets the job done.

Download Microsoft Edge

Aloha is a web browser that also acts as a private VPN . It comes with an Adblock Plus plug-in to block annoying ads. While it is free, it’s recommended that you purchase one of the premium options after the one-week free trial.

Aloha’s free version includes a VPN that encrypts your internet traffic, making it less likely for you to experience a data breach while browsing anonymously. The built-in ad blocker blocks ads and trackers, improving your browser speed and protecting your privacy. The incognito mode creates a private browsing session that doesn’t save cookies. In addition to its primary function as a VPN service and web browser, Aloha also offers a media player, profile manager, and a Web3 cryptocurrency wallet.

By upgrading to Aloha Premium , you can modify your VPN country selection and configure the VPN to start automatically with the browser. The premium package also extends VPN protection to all devices and includes other premium features. It also removes the occasional ad you’ll see with the free version.

If you want to use Aloha, keep in mind that it currently lacks a desktop version. This means you won’t be able to synchronize your passwords or browsing history across all your devices. If that’s not an issue for you, definitely give this one a look.

Download Aloha

AI technology has now been integrated into the Brave browser — making it one of the better Safari alternatives out there. Brave, also available for desktops, offers features similar to other options on this list — such as Adblock, a rewards system, and a crypto wallet. It also includes a built-in VPN service as a feature, with new users eligible for a free week’s trial of the VPN .

Having used Brave for quite some time, I am consistently impressed by its user interface, which stands out for its creativity. I also find that the built-in news feature enhances the overall mobile web-browsing experience.

On a less positive note, while the Brave VPN functions as expected, it is worth noting that it is priced higher than other options on the market. This aspect should be considered before deciding on an in-app purchase. Even so, Brave still stands out as a fantastic Safari replacement.

Download Brave

Opera has been around for a while and has stayed relevant by incorporating new technology as it arrives. A recent enhancement to Opera is an AI feature called Aria, which aims to assist users in navigating the internet effectively by understanding their queries and responding in natural language.

Aria is currently kept separate from the rest of the browser. This setup isn’t necessarily a drawback; it’s simply Opera’s chosen design. In addition to the AI component, Opera includes web browser functions like bookmarks, privacy mode, synchronization, and more. Opera also boasts an Opera Fast Action Button (FAB), a multi-functional tool that makes navigating and switching between recently opened tabs easier. Finally, Opera provides a VPN service that comes with privacy tools at no cost. Combine all of that with a clean and simple interface, and there’s a lot to like with this one.

Download Opera

DuckDuckGo is an exceptional web browser with a reputation for being the ultimate guardian of user privacy. With its advanced capabilities, DuckDuckGo is designed to keep your online identity under wraps and protect you from the prying eyes of third-party advertisers and data collectors. It does this by automatically blocking trackers hidden in the websites you visit, providing you with a safe and stress-free browsing experience.

DuckDuckGo’s user interface is also user-friendly and allows you to personalize your settings according to your preferences. You can turn off images, use the Fire Button to quickly clear your tabs and browsing data, and customize other settings to make your browsing experience seamless.

One of DuckDuckGo’s most remarkable features is its search engine, which doesn’t track your search history. This means you can search for anything you want without worrying about your searches being stored or used for targeted advertisements. If privacy is a top concern for you, DuckDuckGo should be at the top of your list when searching for a Safari replacement.

Download DuckDuckGo

Firefox Focus is another browser that prioritizes privacy. The browser blocks trackers and ads by default, ensuring that companies do not gather browsing data and habits. This aspect proves beneficial for users who value their privacy.

The browser accelerates page loading times by disabling trackers and data collection, resulting in a better browsing journey. Using Firefox Focus can also reduce mobile data consumption, which is advantageous for users with data plans.

Download Firefox Focus

If you’re not satisfied with the default browser on your iPhone and are looking for an alternative, it’s worth exploring some of the options available.

To make an informed decision, download a few of these browsers and test them to see which works best for you. Consider factors such as speed, ease of use, privacy features, and level of customization. Once you’ve tried them, you’ll be better equipped to choose the browser that best suits your needs.

Happy browsing!

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If You Care About Privacy, It’s Time to Try a New Web Browser

A new crop of internet browsers from Brave, DuckDuckGo and others offer stronger privacy protections than what you might be used to.

Brian X. Chen

By Brian X. Chen

Most of us use web browsers out of habit.

If you surf the web with Microsoft Edge, that may be because you use Windows. If you use Safari, that’s probably because you are an Apple customer. If you are a Chrome user, that could be because you have a Google phone or laptop, or you downloaded the Google browser on your personal device after using it on computers at school or work.

In other words, we turn to the browsers that are readily available and familiar. It’s easy to fall into browser inertia because these apps are all fast, capable and serve the same purpose: visiting a website.

So if the differences are minimal, why bother looking for something else?

By the end of this column, I hope to persuade you to at least try something else: a new type of internet navigator called a private browser. This kind of browser, from less-known brands like DuckDuckGo and Brave, has emerged over the last three years. What stands out is that they minimize the data gathered about us by blocking the technologies used to track us.

That’s generally better than what most mainstream browsers, especially Chrome, do. While some browsers like Safari and Firefox also include tracking prevention, the smaller brands have been focused on even more privacy protections.

We have also reached an inflection point in digital privacy. The online advertising industry is on the brink of ceasing to use web cookies, pieces of code planted in browsers that follow us from site to site and help target us with ads. Google, whose Chrome browser is the world’s most popular, has been trying to develop a new way to target us with ads without the cookie.

Let’s not wait for that. You can decide now that you don’t want to be tracked.

“We’re at a fork in the road,” said Gennie Gebhart, a director at the digital rights nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation, who follows privacy issues. “Companies that keep the lights on by advertising to users, Google included, are scrambling to see what’s the next play. It’s also a time for users to be informed and make a choice.”

Unlike mainstream web browsers, private browsers come in many forms that serve different purposes. For about a week, I tested three of the most popular options — DuckDuckGo, Brave and Firefox Focus. Even I was surprised that I eventually switched to Brave as the default browser on my iPhone. Here’s how it happened.

What is a private browser?

It’s important to know what private browsers do, and what they don’t. So let’s look under the hood.

Private browsers generally incorporate web technologies that have been around for years:

They rely on something called private mode, also known as incognito mode, which is a browsing session that does not record a history of the websites you have visited. This is useful if you don’t want people with physical access to your device to snoop on you.

Private browsers also use tracker blockers, which can often be downloaded as an add-on for a browser. The blockers depend on a list of known trackers that grab information about your identity. Whenever you load a website, the software then detects those trackers and restricts them from following you from site to site. The big downside of this approach is that blocking them can sometimes break parts of websites, like shopping carts and videos.

Privacy-focused browsers typically turn private mode on by default, or automatically purge browsing history when you quit the browser. The browsers also have tracking prevention baked in, which lets them aggressively block trackers using approaches that minimize website breakage.

But private browsers do not prevent your internet provider from seeing what websites you visit. So if you are on vacation and using a hotel’s Wi-Fi connection, a private browser will not keep your browsing information private from the hotel’s internet provider. For that type of protection, you still need to connect to a virtual private network , a technology that creates a virtual tunnel that shields your browsing information.

Meet the private browsers

Firefox Focus, DuckDuckGo and Brave are all similar, but with some important differences.

Firefox Focus, available only for mobile devices like iPhones and Android smartphones, is bare-bones. You punch in a web address and, when done browsing, hit the trash icon to erase the session. Quitting the app automatically purges the history. When you load a website, the browser relies on a database of trackers to determine which to block.

The DuckDuckGo browser, also available only for mobile devices, is more like a traditional browser. That means you can bookmark your favorite sites and open multiple browser tabs.

When you use the search bar, the browser returns results from the DuckDuckGo search engine, which the company says is more focused on privacy because its ads do not track people’s online behavior. DuckDuckGo also prevents ad trackers from loading. When done browsing, you can hit the flame icon at the bottom to erase the session.

Brave is also more like a traditional web browser, with anti-tracking technology and features like bookmarks and tabs. It includes a private mode that must be turned on if you don’t want people scrutinizing your web history.

Brave is also so aggressive about blocking trackers that in the process, it almost always blocks ads entirely. The other private browsers blocked ads less frequently.

For most people, not seeing ads is a benefit. But for those who want to give back to a publisher whose ads are blocked, Brave hosts its own ad network that you can opt into. In exchange for viewing ads that do not track your behavior, you earn a cut of revenue in the form of a token. You can then choose to give tokens to websites that you like. (Only web publishers that have a partnership with Brave can receive tokens.)

Battle of the browsers

I tested all three browsers on my iPhone, setting each as my default browser for a few days.

All have a button to see how many trackers they blocked when loading a website. To test that, I visited nypost.com, the website of The New York Post, which loaded 83 trackers without any tracking prevention. With DuckDuckGo, 15 of the nypost.com trackers were blocked. With Brave, it was 22. And Firefox Focus blocked 47.

But numbers don’t tell the whole story. Firefox Focus sometimes broke elements of websites. On some sites, videos failed to load and ad windows could not be closed.

Selena Deckelmann, an executive at Mozilla, which makes Firefox, said that the strict privacy protections in Firefox Focus could sometimes cause websites to break and that the company worked with web publishers so their sites could load properly.

I didn’t experience major issues when using Brave or DuckDuckGo, though there was an occasional hiccup. In one case, when using DuckDuckGo to scroll through Wirecutter , our sister publication that tests and recommends products, the names of some products did not fully load. While the site was still functional, it looked odd.

In the end, though, you probably would be happy using any of the private browsers. Even if you don’t make one your default browser, it is useful for certain situations, like a sensitive web search on a health condition.

For me, Brave won by a hair. My favorite websites loaded flawlessly, and I enjoyed the clean look of ad-free sites, along with the flexibility of opting in to see ads whenever I felt like it. Brendan Eich, the chief executive of Brave, said the company’s browser blocked tracking cookies “without mercy.”

“If everybody used Brave, it would wipe out the tracking-based ad economy,” he said.

Count me in.

Brian X. Chen is the lead consumer technology writer. He reviews products and writes Tech Fix , a column about solving tech-related problems. Before joining The Times in 2011, he reported on Apple and the wireless industry for Wired. More about Brian X. Chen

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You can change your iPhone’s search engine, but should you do so? Here are the top reasons why!

You can change your iPhone’s search engine, but should you do so? Here are the top reasons why!

What search engines are available in Safari on iOS 17?

Image Credit - PhoneArena - You can change your iPhone’s search engine, but should you do so? Here are the top reasons why!

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The Method to my Madness

Image Credit - PhoneArena - You can change your iPhone’s search engine, but should you do so? Here are the top reasons why!

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The actually interesting results

But what about bonus features.

Image Credit - PhoneArena - You can change your iPhone’s search engine, but should you do so? Here are the top reasons why!

  • Google Lens — Reverse image searching made easy. Or, you can just take a snap of a rock and ask Google what type of rock it is. Yes, there are types of rocks.
  • Generative AI (soon) — Not available to anyone and everywhere yet, but it will be pretty capable. Summarizing your results is just the starting point.
  • The Google ecosystem itself — I mean, the more integrated you are into the entire ecosystem, ranging from office tools to media streaming, the easier it will be for Google to find you the thing you want wherever it is most convenient for you.
  • A huge pool of queries to pull data from — Google is the biggest search engine and that matters, because all of that data is being utilized in real time to apply numerous improvements, possibly even daily.
  • Focus on emails — you can compose emails straight from search, if you have an address with Yahoo. You know, if you ever need to do that.
  • A custom home page — It looks cluttered, but it’s an effective Gnews alternative to those who want something more traditional and visual.
  • Straight to the point — Less guesswork and AI, more control to the user. This means that if you take the time to learn how, you can get very accurate results via Yahoo.
  • More, but…. Hard to find. I had to use Yahoo to search for Yahoo image search in order to verify that it supported it. Just an example.
  • Minimal and accurate — If you’re looking up something clear and simple like match results or weather, Bing can bring that up like no other search engine.
  • AI, even before the Big G — Again, not always available — or everywhere — but Bing’s AI is also capable of not only getting to know you, but creating custom summaries of information for you.

DuckDuckGo:

  • Privacy Inc — I mean, this is the only one that lets you choose how much of a trace you leave behind. Eliminating the concept of Search History is just the start.
  • Customization — You can choose not only how information is presented to you, but also how much of that information is then related to you as a user
  • Tree Counter — You see how close you are to planting a tree as you browse around and that’s actually really awesome. (Yes, I play druid)
  • You’re not a product — It does not create a user profile based on your activity to later sell to advertisers. What you see is what Ecosia makes a profit from, and 100% of that goes to nature.
  • Actually neutral when it comes to pollution. Not much to add here. That’s awesome.

What’s the best search engine to use in Safari with iOS 17?

  • If you browse often and care about getting more accurate info in a fast and clean manner, then Google or Bing are for you.
  • If you browse online for shopping opportunities quite often, then Google and Yahoo are your best bet, because they can really help you find what you need fast.
  • If you love AI, then Bing is the best option for you right now, as long as the features are available in your area. And, at least, until Google fully unleashes Bard into Search.
  • Is privacy a top priority? Then DuckDuckGo or Ecosia are the ways to go. But only one of the two plant trees in the process is carbon-neutral, so that may mean something to you.

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Apple considered ditching google for duckduckgo in safari’s private mode, but apple exec argued duckduckgo wasn't as private as believed..

Samuel Axon - Oct 5, 2023 9:17 pm UTC

John Giannandrea gestures while speaking at a TechCrunch conference

In iOS 17 , Apple recently made it easier to use alternatives to Google search in the Safari web browser's private browsing mode—but the company considered going even further by making DuckDuckGo, which is marketed as a more private alternative, the default choice in that context.

As reported by Bloomberg's Leah Nylen, the information came to light when Amit Mehta, the US District Judge who is handling the US antitrust trial over Google search, unsealed transcripts of testimonies by DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg and Apple SVP of machine learning and AI strategy John Giannandrea. Giannandrea worked as Google's head of search before his current role at Apple .

Further Reading

Giannandrea had a different take, though. He was heavily involved in Apple's discussions about its future with search, and he dismissed a switch to DuckDuckGo, partly because he felt that DuckDuckGo's "marketing about privacy is somewhat incongruent with the details" because DuckDuckGo relies on Bing in some areas. He said he would have wanted to do "a lot more due diligence with DuckDuckGo" should the switch have happened. He previously argued against switching to DuckDuckGo in an internal company email.

These conversations happened in the wider context of the antitrust trial over Google search, which, by some estimates, accounts for 90 percent of the market. Apple famously has a highly lucrative deal with Google to use the latter's search engine as the default option in Safari, which is the default web browser on iPads, Macs, and, most importantly, iPhones.

Previous trial testimonies revealed that Apple and Microsoft considered a wide-ranging partnership or even acquisition that would lead to Microsoft-developed search engine Bing becoming the default for Apple devices. Apple reportedly believed at another point that the only viable alternative to Google would be to develop its own search engine—which it didn't, perhaps because the Google deal was so lucrative.

Judge Mehta is looking closely at Google's deal with Apple as the trial weighs whether the search giant's dominance is anti-competitive in the US.

For DuckDuckGo's part, a company spokesperson was quoted in Bloomberg saying that the search engine takes measures to prevent "hosting and content providers from creating a history of your searches," in contrast to Giannandrea's statement that DuckDuckGo wasn't as comprehensively private as it claimed.

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Channel ars technica.

Apple considered DuckDuckGo as an alternative to Google for private mode on Safari

Things could have been very different.

Search in Safari on an iPhone

Don’t want the web to save your history, cookies or search results? Safari’s Private Browsing mode to the rescue. Interestingly, while it currently uses Google for search purposes, (much like the non-private mode) there was a chance it could have been a very different search engine.

Apple considered using DuckDuckGo, the privacy-focused search engine, as the default option in Private mode. That would mean no tracking from the search engine itself, for an even more ‘private’ Private mode.

Private mode and search

The news has come to light within the US government antitrust trial against Google. Testifying to the court, the CEO of DuckDuckGo, Gabriel Weingberg revealed that the firm had been in meetings with Apple in 2018 and 2019 so that the search engine would become the default in Safari’s Private Browsing mode.

Bloomberg reports further , with Weinberg testifying that the two firms had “about 20 meetings and phone calls with Apple executives, including the head of Safari, in 2018 and 2019 about becoming the default search engine for private browsing mode” 

“We were talking about it, I thought they would launch it” Weinberg continues. Apple, however, had other ideas, it would appear. Also testifying in a closed session, Apple executive John Giannandrea said that “to his knowledge” Apple had not considered the switch. He continued “The motivating factor for setting DuckDuckGo as the default for private browsing was an assumption that it would be more private.”

Instead, Apple has stuck with Google, apparently due to DuckDuckGo’s use of Bing search, with concerns that customer information would then be sent on to Microsoft. 

More and more information about the search engine wars is coming from this antitrust suit against Google, and somehow Apple has found itself a little closer to the center than it might appreciate. Either way, the world might have looked a great deal different with a DuckDuckGo search default in Safari.

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As iMore's Senior Staff writer, Tammy uses her background in audio and Masters in screenwriting to pen engaging product reviews and informative buying guides. The resident audiophile (or audio weirdo), she's got an eye for detail and a love of top-quality sound. Apple is her bread and butter, with attention on HomeKit and Apple iPhone and Mac hardware. You won't find her far away from a keyboard even outside of working at iMore – in her spare time, she spends her free time writing feature-length and TV screenplays. Also known to enjoy driving digital cars around virtual circuits, to varying degrees of success. Just don't ask her about AirPods Max - you probably won't like her answer.

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The best search engines to use, if you're tired of Google

Charles Martin's Avatar

When it comes to using an online search engine, the overwhelming majority — 92 percent worldwide , according to Statcounter — use Google as their search engine, whether by default or by choice. Some regions rely on it almost exclusively, like India, while in a few places it isn't easily available — such as China .

In those places, the government has replaced Google search with state-run or locally-controlled alternatives, such as Baidu (China) and Yandex (Russia). It is assumed that such governments gather data on users very aggressively, following Google's model.

Google's chief search rivals — including Bing and the former most popular engine, Yahoo — can't seem to make a serious dent in Google's dominance. In North America, for example, Bing manages a mere seven percent of search queries , while Yahoo doesn't even manage half of Bing's popularity, with three percent.

US stats on the most popular search engines

Much of Google's popularity is the result of user inertia alongside genuine consumer satisfaction. In addition, Google uses aggressive promotion to convert users to its search engine, including pop-ups offering to help switch users' default search every time an Edge user visits a Google site.

Naturally, Google uses its own search in its browser Chrome , now the most frequently-used browser, and it pays Apple billions per year to be the default search in Safari, Spotlight, and Siri. Effectively, Google pays Apple not just to provide services to Apple users, but also to prevent Apple from entering the search engine market.

Over the last two years, there have been numerous rumors that Apple will nonetheless eventually develop or unveil its own search technology to launch a universal Google competitor . So far, however, there's been no obvious move from the company to rid itself of the lucrative Google deal.

Many users are just in the habit of starting any exploration of the internet by going to Google.com first, or setting it as their default start page. Users across a wide age range (but tending to have been born before the home-computer generations) are often under the impression that the only easy way to find a website is to search for it in Google first.

It would take a lot to even come close to knocking Google off their "king of search" pedestal, given that it processes around 5.6 billion queries per day . The company doesn't reveal the average number of daily active users (DAU), but for comparison Facebook claims nearly two billion DAU, so it is likely that Google's count is similar — or even higher.

That's not to say that it doesn't have a few serious rivals. Baidu, for example, had 218 million average daily users as of the end of last year, thanks to its near-monopoly in China.

The best alternatives to using Google for search in the US

Google's search engine is the most popular in the world for a reason: it collects an astonishing amount of data about you more-or-less continuously. Thus, it can offer results very personalized for what it thinks you will click on, as well as based on recent behavior.

Some find this convenient, many find it disturbing, but its effectiveness is revealed in Google's fiscal results: outside of monetizing your data, it has no significant other income. Last year, Google alone reported nearly $257 billion in revenue , which accounted for 80 percent of the income of its parent company, Alphabet.

Due primarily to Google's ubiquity and data-monetization practices, other web-based search engines have emerged to offer effective alternatives. In addition to newer alternatives, it may surprise web veterans to know that a couple of the original search engines are still around, including Yahoo and Ask.com (formerly Ask Jeeves).

Some very small search engine sites claim to offer total anonymity and high security, or specialize in scouring the darker corners of the web. However, it is difficult to verify these claims, or determine how such services pay for themselves, so we won't be covering those here.

Instead, we'll compare the king of the hill to a handful of alternative search websites that offer search with a different spin, or alongside other services. We'll compare strengths and weaknesses, as well as assign an overall privacy-centric score.

A typical Google homepage, minus a pop-up asking users to switch to Chrome.

Where Google excels: Exemplary database of business information, myriad extra services available if desired, fast and highly personalized results, available in a wide variety of outlets.

Where Google falls down: Massive collection and monetization of user data on a far more intimate level that most users are aware, manipulated rankings, and no discernible ethics regarding sales of personal data except where forced to comply with regulations or laws. Often prefers to pay fines and carry on over reforming itself.

Privacy: On a scale of 1 to 5, Google rates a one, but probably deserves a zero.

Where Google keeps its search engine page sparse, with barely more than a colorful logo and a text-entry box, Microsoft's Bing naturally tries to overcompensate. Visitors will be greeted with some beautiful photography, marred by the white text bar, with the page's understated but incredibly corporate "Microsoft Bing" logo, and trailed by some monetized clickbait "news" stories.

Those who scroll down get rewarded with the original photo and the story behind it, followed by the useful "previous images" collection and "this day in history" feature. Actually inputting a query takes you to a very Google-esque page of links, along with summaries and tips (if relevant), followed by videos, more links, and further subsections of related material.

Bing's page is equal parts great photos and confusing clutter.

Bing can be set as the default search engine on almost any browser. It is, of course, the default search engine on the Edge browser for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android.

Where Bing excels: Users can see the effort made in trying to provide links and related material that is as relevant as possible to the search or question asked at the very top of the page. It must drive the Bing team mad that the most frequently-searched term is "Google."

For example, a search on Bing for a driver for a specific printer actually does surface as the "top hit" the legitimate page of the actual maker of said driver. If you try the same with Google, a half-dozen scammers or malware merchants have paid Google in order to top the results and burying the actual answer — and not just for this category, but for every category.

Where Bing falls down: Bing does collect data on its users for monetization and ad-targeting purposes and does some limited tracking, though users do have the option of erasing their search history. The clickbait news-scams down the page should really be beneath a rich company like Microsoft, but there they are.

Bing Privacy: Bing is more privacy-protective that Google, but that's not saying much. Of the top three search engines, Bing might actually be the best in pure results — so we'll give it a 2 out of 5.

Outside of the top three, a relative veteran that has been slowly increasing its foothold since 2008 is DuckDuckGo . The service essentially anonymizes your search query, then feeds it to Microsoft's Bing, showing you the results without the intrusiveness — or benefit — of Google's more personalized findings.

The company makes its revenue by showing ads connected to the search terms alongside the results, but the results nor any clicks are added to a profile of users. No record is kept of one's past searches, and the neither the ads nor the site track user behavior as they continue to surf, again unlike Google.

Users can opt to set or change a default search engine in most browsers, or might opt to simply make a preferred search engine as the home page of their browser of choice. You can set DuckDuckGo as the default search engine in the four most popular browsers: Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox.

Where DuckDuckGo excels: A sustainable revenue model and additional privacy-focused products, and improving name recognition among privacy-focused web surfers.

Where DuckDuckGo falls down: Relies on Bing for non-personalized results. Its separate browser app for iOS includes a Bing tracker.

DuckDuckGo Privacy: Some smaller private search engines go further than DDG, for example obscuring any URL with search terms visible to people looking over your shoulder, but on the whole we'd give DuckDuckGo's search engine an 3.5 out of 5.

Brave Search

Brave's search engine claims to be one of the most private search engines around. It does this by simply not collecting any information about its users at all. Unlike DuckDuckGo, Brave doesn't rely on another company's index to produce results; it created its own index from scratch.

Brave is a good choice for a basic browser, though nowhere near as full-featured as Safari or Firefox. That said, while Brave does not offer a search extension for users of other browsers, the search engine's own web page — search.brave.com — can be bookmarked on all of them.

Where Brave Search excels: A browser and search engine combo that emphasizes and delivers the best alternative private search available, using its own index.

Where Brave Search falls down: Has had difficulty finding a mainstream audience due ironically to its privacy-centric policies.

Brave Search Privacy: 5 out of 5

Ecosia.org is an ecologically-oriented search engine that, like DuckDuckGo, offers anonymized Bing results, but uses its Bing affiliation and revenues generated from ads to plant trees around the world. The site does not store user searches indefinitely, nor allow third-party tracking tools, or sell any data gathered from users to non-Microsoft advertisers.

Users can opt to turn off all Ecosia's own "product improvement" tracking if desired, but it does require some small effort to do so. Ecosia can be set as the default search engine in Safari, Brave, Vivaldi, Firefox, and Chrome.

Where Ecosia excels: On par with DuckDuckGo for search, but uses its profits for a very worthy cause.

Where Ecosia falls down: Uses tracking for its own "product improvement" unless users make the effort to turn that off.

Privacy: 3.5 out of 5

Startpage is similar to DuckDuckGo and Ecosia, except that it uses Google rather than Bing to get results to your anonymized query. It bills itself as "the world's most private search," and its policies of no cookies, no search history retention, and no IP or location records support the company's claim.

Startpage's spartan welcome screen, in dark mode.

Like Google and Yahoo, Startpage also offers email. It also features an anonymizing proxy page that hides your identity and location as you browse the internet, if desired.

In 2019, a marketing and advertising company called System1 invested in Startpage, raising suspicions among the search site's users that the privacy of the site has been compromised. Small promotional messages have since appeared on the main page, but thus far it does not appear to have changed the overall mission or policies of Startpage.

Where Startpage excels: Completely anonymous search.

Where Startpage falls down: Transparency with its users about System1's involvement.

Startpage Privacy: It would be a 5, but we're deducting a point due to the company's lack of candor in its funding model, so 4 out of 5.

Ask.com may be a nostalgia trip for veteran internet users, but it continues to focus on its original offering from 1996: answering questions rather than simply offering pages of links. It outsourced its search engine technology many years ago, and instead pulls from multiple sources — including a crowdsourced expert community — to compile answers.

As with the bigger-name search engines, Ask gathers question, location, and other user data, and sells this to advertisers. It does offer an opt-out on its tracking practices, but it cannot be set as a default search on any mainstream browsers.

Where Ask excels: The question-based approach results in actual answers rather than just links.

Where Ask falls down: The site's privacy policy outlines clearly the kind of information it collects, such as location, IP address, and query history. The site also explicitly states that it "shares" this information (also known as "selling this information") to advertisers and other vendors/partners.

Tracking users can only be avoided if the visitor is from California (where Ask complies with state law), and even then only if said user opts-out. Broadly speaking, Ask's gathering and use/sale of user data is on par with most commercial websites.

Ask Privacy: 1.5 out of 5

Yahoo, founded in 1994 and thus the earliest still-in-operation website search engine, bought up many of its rivals (such as Altavista) before falling from grace in the face of Google's superior data-driven search results in the late 2000s. It continues to offer search and other services, such as email, but is a pale shadow of its former glory as the "door to the internet."

Currently, the portal is owned by investment firm Apollo Global Management, which holds 90 percent ownership of the company. Like Google, its usage terms disclose that the company analyzes and sells the data it collects both on its site and via tracking technology.

Yahoo's page (white spaces are blocked ads).

Although it seems to be in a pre-death holding pattern, it remains one of the original multi-purpose "portal" sites, offering news and weather alongside a (poor) email service and search. Yahoo can be set as the default search engine on Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.

Where Yahoo excels: Survival.

Where Yahoo falls down: Mediocre email service and search, coupled with outsourced news and advertorial "content."

Yahoo Privacy: 1 out of 5.

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How to give Safari a privacy boost with DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials

jack-wallen

In this day and age, you should be doing everything in your power to boost the security and privacy of your browsing efforts. If you don't, you're being tracked, logged, and monitored by just about every site you visit. 

For some, that is simply not acceptable. 

If that sounds like you, and you're a macOS Safari user, you owe it to yourself to give Apple's web browser a helping hand with DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials. This browser add-on helps prevent online tracking by automatically blocking third-party trackers and even grades each site's privacy from A-F (A being trustworthy and F being absolutely not trustworthy).

I'm going to show you how to install and use this free Safari extension so you can extend the privacy of Safari. All you'll need is an Apple laptop or desktop and the Safari browser. Now let's add some privacy protection to your favorite browser.

Adding the DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials to Safari

Before installing, make sure to close Safari. Once you've done that, open the Apple App Store and search for DuckDuckGo in the search bar. You should see an entry for DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials. Click on that entry and then click Get ( Figure 1 ).

The DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials app

The DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials entry in the Apple App Store.

Next, click Install and, when prompted, either tap the fingerprint sensor (if your hardware has one) or type your user password. The installation will begin and finish very quickly.

Once the installation completes, close the App Store and open Safari. Near the top of the browser window, you'll see a notification warning that you need to turn on both "Privacy Protection" and "Privacy Dashboard" in the Extension Preferences ( Figure 2 ).

The next step is enabling these two features in Safari.

Click Turn On and Review and then, in the next window ( Figure 3 ), click the checkboxes for both Privacy Dashboard and Privacy Protection.

Enabling both features for DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials in Safari.

You'll be prompted to okay the enabling of the features, so make sure to click Turn On when asked.

Close and restart Safari. Next, visit any website you choose and you'll notice the small circle directly to the left of the address bar will display a grade for the site ( Figure 4 ).

Facebook earned a C privacy grade.

If you click on the grade a new popup will appear with all of the information you need to see. As you can tell, Facebook was upgraded from a previous D listing and DuckDuckGo has blocked 1 tracker ( Figure 5 ).

DuckDuckGo blocked a single tracker from Facebook.

You do not have to do anything to prevent DuckDuckGo from blocking trackers in Safari. This one-two punch of both Safari and DuckDuckGo tracker blocking should go a long, long way to keep your browsing experience safe from trackers keeping tabs on your comings and goings within the browser.

If you're concerned about your privacy, you should consider the addition of the DuckDuckgo Privacy Essentials extension a must.

Jack Wallen: Here's how to...

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Apple considered switching to DuckDuckGo from Google for Safari - Bloomberg News

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How to use DuckDuckGo: Everything you need to know

What DuckDuckGo is, and isn't, good for

The DuckDuckGo app page on a smartphone and the DuckDuckGo web page.

If privacy is what you're after and you want to get away from using Google, DuckDuckGo is a great alternative. The service focuses on putting privacy first, from internet browsing to email forwarding . However, the results aren't as relevant or robust, so you may not always find exactly what you're looking for. 

Thousands of privacy-conscious users have already made the switch from messaging platforms like WhatsApp to more secure-seeming options such as Signal and Telegram . 

At the same time, many people may be opting to use DuckDuckGo instead of Google or Bing for web searches, likely because the lesser-known search engine does not collect user data or track what you search. 

DuckDuckGo has seen more than 4 million users install its apps and browser extensions, making it their default search engine, and you can too.

Here's how to switch to — and use — DuckDuckGo. 

How to add DuckDuckGo to your browser

If you simply want to try out DuckDuckGo, type duckduckgo.com into your browser's address bar and enter your search query. Use it for a while and see if you like it. Once you're ready to make the switch, you can either select DuckDuckGo as your default search engine or add the appropriate app or extension to your browser. 

Adding DuckDuckGo to Chrome

Chrome users have two options for using DuckDuckGo on the desktop. The simplest option, if you're looking only for the private search function, is to make DuckDuckGo the default search engine.

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Go to Settings (the three vertical dots at the top right of your browser bar) > Search engine > Manage search engine. Click the vertical dots next to DuckDuckGo and select Make default. This will make DuckDuckGo the default search engine in your address search bar as well. 

The setting to make DuckDuckGo the default search engine in Google Chrome.

An alternative for extra privacy is to install the DuckDuckGo Chrome extension . This will block hidden trackers and connect you to encrypted versions of websites if available. 

If you change your mind about DuckDuckGo, both the default setting and the browser extension can be disabled in Chrome's settings. 

Adding DuckDuckGo to Firefox

To make DuckDuckGo your default search engine in Firefox, toggle open the Settings options with the three horizontal lines to the far right of your address bar. Click Preferences and open the Default Search Engine drop-down menu to select DuckDuckGo. This will change the settings for search in your address bar.

The setting to make DuckDuckGo the default search engine in Mozilla Firefox.

To make DuckDuckGo your homepage in Firefox, drag this link to the Home icon and select Yes in the pop-up window. 

The Firefox add-on for DuckDuckGo.

Like Chrome, Firefox has an add-on called DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials that has extra privacy features. 

Adding DuckDuckGo to other browsers

Safari users can simply tap the magnifying glass in the search bar, which will bring up a drop-down to select the default search engine. You can also add the DuckDuckGo extension from the App Store. 

The setting to make DuckDuckGo the default search engine in Apple Safari.

With Brave, open the hamburger menu at the top right and go to Settings > Search Engine. Open the dropdown menu at the top of the page and select DuckDuckGo as your default. 

The setting to make DuckDuckGo the default search engine in the Brave browser.

In Edge, click the three horizontal dots (they look like " … ") in the top right and select Settings. On the next page, click the three stacked lines in the top left and select > Privacy, Search and Services. 

The setting to make DuckDuckGo the default search engine in Microsoft Edge.

Scroll all the way down the page and, under the Services heading, click Address Bar and Search. Open the dropdown menu next to Search Engine Used in the Address Bar and select DuckDuckGo. You can also get the Privacy Essentials add-on . 

Adding DuckDuckGo on mobile

DuckDuckGo has browsing apps for both iOS and Android . If you prefer to use DuckDuckGo as your default search engine within Safari, Firefox, or Brave, follow the steps on DuckDuckGo's help pages. 

How to use DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo isn't all that different from any other search engine. Type your query into the search bar and get your results. As with Google, you can narrow your search to images, videos, news, maps and shopping.

DuckDuckGo's results pages look fairly similar to Google's, with knowledge panels, news carousels and related searches. However, you'll get more with Google search results, such as recent tweets, People Also Ask and videos, than you'll get with DuckDuckGo. 

Google search results for 'Sundance Film Festival.'

Google also returns different, and perhaps more relevant, results, depending on your perspective. When we searched for "Sundance Film Festival," Google's first four results (punctuated by People Also Ask and tweets from @SundanceFest) were from different pages on Sundance.org. 

DuckDuckGo's search results for 'Sundance Film Festival.'

With DuckDuckGo, we got only one link, to the main festival page. The second result was from Wikipedia. 

Bing's search results for 'Sundance Film Festival.'

Microsoft's Bing splits the difference between the two, with results similar to DuckDuckGo but more robust knowledge panels. 

It's also worth noting that DuckDuckGo uses Apple Maps (with pretty mediocre results) and Yelp reviews. Google obviously shows Google Maps and Google reviews. Bing runs on OpenStreetMap and TripAdvisor. 

DuckDuckGo map result for 'Sundance Film Festival.'

All that is to say, DuckDuckGo isn't anything special once you get beyond the privacy features. However, it can be a useful alternative if you're looking for a new search engine.

Anthony Spadafora

Anthony Spadafora is the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to password managers and the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. Before joining the team, he wrote for ITProPortal while living in Korea and later for TechRadar Pro after moving back to the US. Based in Houston, Texas, when he’s not writing Anthony can be found tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home. 

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admin said: DuckDuckGo is a famously privacy-conscious search engine. Here's how to set it up and use it. How to use DuckDuckGo: Everything you need to know : Read more
  • bobc4012 This site needs to do a better job for posting comments. It keeps sending me to this comment for my own comment. This article is generally about you can have DuckGoas an add-on for some browsers. It does not discuss how to use DuckGo to do searching, At least I can find the various search techniques for Google, but not for DuckGo, which I was expecting to find in this article, instead of making it an add-on. Either rename the article or include how to various types of searching using DuckGo Reply
  • View All 2 Comments

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duckduckgo vs safari iphone

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DuckDuckGo vs Safari

DuckDuckGo is a web browser that was built mainly to respect the privacy of the users so this web browser is known for its transparency towards its users. It was built by DuckDuckGo Incorporation. The development credit for this browser goes to Gabriel Weinberg and his team. It supports various operating systems like Mac, Windows, Android etc. 

Safari is also a web browser used for surfing the internet and it was built by Apple. It was mainly used on the Mac operating system but it can also be used on Windows operating system. Initially, it was released in 2003, just like chrome it is also freeware. It is open source and is written using different programming languages like C++, Swift etc.

duckduckgo vs safari iphone

Following is a table of differences between DuckDuckGo and Safari:

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iPad Pro   What’s your iPad Pro Browser of Choice?

  • Thread starter Alameda
  • Start date Tuesday at 11:16 AM
  • Sort by reaction score
  • iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch

What’s your most used web browser on your iPad Pro?

Microsoft edge.

  • Total voters 28

Alameda

macrumors 6502a

  • Tuesday at 11:16 AM

I’m starting to realize that the Safari browser is not too great, so I’ve downloaded Firefox and Chrome. I’m curious to hear about others’ experiences using alternate browsers on the iPad Pro. I mention iPad Pro because I imagine it can offer a much more powerful browsing experience than most other iPad models. Thanks for any tips, hints and ideas!  

macrumors 68000

  • Tuesday at 5:57 PM

What exactly isn't so great about Safari for you? I ask because all other web browsers on iPadOS are required to use the same WebKit engine that Safari uses. For example, Chrome has to use WebKit rather than Chromium that you might be used to on the desktop version. Same with Firefox, it's using WebKit instead of Gecko. So if a site isn't working properly in Safari on the iPad, it likely isn't going to work in any of the other browsers either. However, these other browser can provide other functionality. Chrome can sync your passwords and bookmarks to your Google account. Edge can sync your passwords and bookmarks to your Microsoft account. Some have built-in ad blocking. As far as Safari (or any other browser) on the base iPad vs. the iPad Pro...I think it's about the same. The Pro doesn't unlock any extra features. For me...I use Safari for personal use, and Edge for work (to sync with my M365 account).  

macrumors G3

  • Tuesday at 6:15 PM

I have Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and DuckDuckGo on my M1 12.9 and use only Safari now. It has good performance and I really want a browser with a visible Favorites bar. I use Edge on my laptop & desktop.  

bondr006

macrumors 68020

  • Tuesday at 6:19 PM
iStorm said: What exactly isn't so great about Safari for you? I ask because all other web browsers on iPadOS are required to use the same WebKit engine that Safari uses. For example, Chrome has to use WebKit rather than Chromium that you might be used to on the desktop version. Same with Firefox, it's using WebKit instead of Gecko. So if a site isn't working properly in Safari on the iPad, it likely isn't going to work in any of the other browsers either. However, these other browser can provide other functionality. Chrome can sync your passwords and bookmarks to your Google account. Edge can sync your passwords and bookmarks to your Microsoft account. Some have built-in ad blocking. As far as Safari (or any other browser) on the base iPad vs. the iPad Pro...I think it's about the same. The Pro doesn't unlock any extra features. For me...I use Safari for personal use, and Edge for work (to sync with my M365 account). Click to expand...
  • Tuesday at 6:36 PM
bondr006 said: As far as I know, Safari on the iPad Pro shows real desktop web pages, just like on the Mac, while on the base iPads, it is still just a mobile browser like the iPhone. Click to expand...

fatTribble

macrumors 65816

  • Tuesday at 7:23 PM

Safari for me. I’ll try Edge, Duck or Firefox every now and then just to check them out. The only one I’ve never used is Chrome. Google is the last company I’d want to have my browser info.  

nburwell

macrumors 603

  • Yesterday at 8:25 AM

I have Chrome installed on my IPP, but I rarely — if ever — use it. I’m mostly in Safari when browsing.  

macrumors newbie

  • Yesterday at 8:29 AM

They are all skins of the same engine. Apple does not allow browsers on iOS or iPadOS to use anything other than Webkit (and they wonder why they are being sued for anti-competitive actions). Apple will claim it's for security reasons, the same reason they give for not allowing you to install any apps on your iPhone or iPad that they don't personally approve of. It's really about control and $$$.  

rodalpho

macrumors member

  • Yesterday at 8:49 AM

Yep, outside of the EU every browser is just a Safari skin. Also content blockers only work in real Safari, although other browsers can implement their own content blocking mechanisms and several have like Brave and iCab Mobile. If you're looking for desktop-like customization definitely check out iCab Mobile. It's klunky and inelegant but it can do pretty much anything, so long as webkit can render it.  

  • Yesterday at 8:57 AM
rodalpho said: Yep, outside of the EU every browser is just a Safari skin. Also content blockers only work in real Safari, although other browsers can implement their own content blocking mechanisms and several have like Brave and iCab Mobile. If you're looking for desktop-like customization definitely check out iCab Mobile. It's klunky and inelegant but it can do pretty much anything, so long as webkit can render it. Click to expand...
  • Yesterday at 11:30 PM

I use Safari 99% of the time but I also have Chrome and Firefox Focus installed.  

DuckDuckGo Help Pages

How to get duckduckgo, how to add duckduckgo to safari on mobile.

Did you mean OS X Safari instead?

Changing Your Search Engine to DuckDuckGo

duckduckgo vs safari iphone

However, please know that if you just use the search engine, we cannot offer our web tracking protections when you visit other web sites. To get that protection, you need to use our extension or browser. Our free web browser is available for Mac , Windows , iOS , and Android . It comes with seamless privacy protection built-in, including private search , tracker blocking , increased encryption , email protection , and more.

iOS System Data bug stealing your iPhone storage? Here are 5 solutions

Avatar for Michael Potuck

There’s been an iOS bug for years that gobbles up a big percentage of an iPhone’s available storage. The issue persists in iOS 17.4 and 17.5 but fortunately, there are solutions that don’t involve wiping your iPhone. Here’s how to fix the iPhone System Data storage bug.

Across Apple’s Community forums , Reddit , and more, iOS users have complained about the iPhone System Data storage bug for years (some reports date back to iOS 13). I haven’t had trouble with the bug until iOS 17.3-17.5 where I’ve seen up to 60 GB of storage eaten up by iOS System Data.

And it’s not just a reporting bug, the storage used by System Data is unusable. Unlike the cache in individual iOS apps or Apple apps like Safari, there’s no button to quickly empty System Data. Here’s how Apple describes what it’s used for:

System Data includes caches, logs and other resources currently in use by the system. This value will fluctuate according to system needs.

Apple hasn’t offered an official solution to the problem, but there are several ways to resolve the issue. We’ll start from the simplest and quickest option to more involved tactics.

How to fix the iPhone System Data storage bug

You can see how much storage System Data is using on your iPhone by heading to Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Go to the very bottom > System Data

  • Head back to iPhone Storage > System Data to see if that’s helped
  • This alone has worked to reduce my System Data by over 50 GB (but sometimes in days or weeks it will inflate again with further restarts helping)
  • Head to Settings > Messages > Keep Messages > 1 year or 30 Days
  • Some users report having success with deleting and reinstalling Apple TV to clear the cache and doing the same with apps like Instagram, TikTok, Discord, Slack, etc.
  • Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data (note: this impacts any sites you were logged into, etc.)
  • Via Reddit user Vertsix , there is a more complex “date trick” that seems to work reliably to purge iOS System Data – make sure to follow the steps as described to avoid losing iMessages in the process

iPhone System Data storage bug fix walkthrough

Above is my before and after power cycling my iPhone – 60.58 GB to 8GB usage for System Data.

Have you seen this issue? Just notice it for the first time after checking your settings? Share your experience in the comments!

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iPhone 16 Pro Expected Later This Year With These 12 New Features

While the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are still months away from launching, there are already over a dozen rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped new features and changes expected for the devices so far.

iPhone 16 Side 2 Feature

  • Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays , respectively, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants. The devices are expected to have taller aspect ratios as part of this change. By comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max have 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays, respectively.
  • "Capture" button: An all-new "capture button" with pressure and swipe controls for photo capture and video recording is rumored for all iPhone 16 models. The button is expected to be located below the power button, which would require the mmWave 5G antenna window to be relocated on U.S. models.
  • 48-megapixel Ultra Wide lens: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature an upgraded 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera lens for higher-resolution photos with more detail when shooting in 0.5× mode, according to Jeff Pu, a tech analyst at Hong Kong-based investment firm Haitong International Securities.
  • Wi-Fi 7 support: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will also support Wi-Fi 7 , according to Pu. This would enable the devices to send and receive data over the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands simultaneously, resulting in faster Wi-Fi speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connectivity. Wi-Fi 7 is expected to offer peak data transfer speeds of over 40 Gbps, a 4× increase over Wi-Fi 6E.
  • A18 Pro chip: Apple's next-generation A18 Pro chip is expected to be manufactured with TSMC's second-generation 3nm process, known as N3E .
  • More cores for Neural Engine: Some of iOS 18's rumored generative AI features may be exclusive to iPhone 16 models , partly because the devices may feature an upgraded Neural Engine with "significantly" more cores .
  • Upgraded microphones for generative AI: iPhone 16 models will feature significantly upgraded microphones with a higher signal-to-noise ratio and improved water resistance, according to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The upgraded microphones would allow the devices to hear your voice more clearly, which could boost the accuracy of Siri's rumored generative AI features on iOS 18 .
  • Improved thermal design: iPhone 16 Pro models are rumored to feature a new thermal design for improved heat dissipation. Similar to recent Apple Watch models, the battery might have a metal casing .
  • 5G Advanced: iPhone 16 Pro models will be equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X75 modem for faster and more power efficient 5G connectivity, according to Pu. The modem supports the "5G Advanced" standard, which has been described as "the next phase of 5G" and an "evolution towards 6G."
  • 5× optical zoom for iPhone 16 Pro: The iPhone 15 Pro Max's tetraprism Telephoto lens system with 5× optical zoom will expand to the regular iPhone 16 Pro , according to Kuo.
  • Thinner bezels: iPhone 16 Pro models may have even thinner bezels around the screen .
  • New color options: As usual, at least a few new color options are rumored for the latest iPhones, including a "Space Black" titanium finish.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 16 Pro models in September. Additional details about the devices should surface over the coming months, so be sure to bookmark our iPhone 16 Pro roundup for the latest information.

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IMAGES

  1. DuckDuckGo vs Safari

    duckduckgo vs safari iphone

  2. DuckDuckGo: How to Set Safari in iOS 11 to Use it and Why You Should

    duckduckgo vs safari iphone

  3. Cómo usar DuckDuckGo en Safari para iPhone y iPad

    duckduckgo vs safari iphone

  4. DuckDuckGo vs Safari

    duckduckgo vs safari iphone

  5. How to Set DuckDuckGo Default Search Engine in Safari on Mac, iPhone or

    duckduckgo vs safari iphone

  6. DuckDuckGo lässt sich auf iOS 8 und Safari 7.1 als Standart-Suche

    duckduckgo vs safari iphone

VIDEO

  1. Wallstreetbets reaction about Palantir PLTR 💎✋🚀😭😤🔔🎉🤔

  2. DuckDuckGo Needs to Seriously Improve Their Desktop App

  3. Iphone privacy How to use duckduckgo search engine in IOS 8

  4. Google vs DuckDuckGo

  5. is #duckduckgo BETTER than #google ?

  6. DuckDuckGo's latest update! With cross-device password and bookmark syncing

COMMENTS

  1. How and why Apple users should switch to DuckDuckGo for search

    On iOS/iPad OS: Settings>Safari and select DuckDuckGo from the options provided in the Search Engine section. You need to do this for all your devices individually. Once you change your default ...

  2. DuckDuckGo vs Safari detailed comparison as of 2024

    In the question "What are the best macOS web browsers?". Safari is ranked 1st while DuckDuckGo is ranked 14th. The most important reason people chose Safari is: The rendering of the pages and the browser compatibility with OSX works smoothly, when compared to other browsers.

  3. Stop Trackers Dead: The Best Private Browsers for 2024

    Avast Secure Browser. $0.00 at AVAST. See It. Avast is one of the few browsers included here with built-in VPN functionality, but using it will cost you $5.99 per month, with discounts if you sign ...

  4. We Tried Eight Other iPhone Browsers So You Don't Have To

    DuckDuckGo and Firefox Focus are the only other browsers with this degree of protection. With so many excellent browsers available on the iPhone, it might be challenging to choose which to use. Safari is an easy and obvious pick and works well. There is absolutely nothing wrong with staying right there. For more advanced privacy controls that ...

  5. 8 iPhone browser apps you should use instead of Safari

    While some web browser apps like Google Chrome, DuckDuckGo, and Microsoft Edge might already be familiar to you, others such as Aloha and Arc Search may not be. Contents. Google Chrome. Arc Search ...

  6. If You Care About Privacy, It's Time to Try a New Web Browser

    Meet the private browsers. Firefox Focus, DuckDuckGo and Brave are all similar, but with some important differences. Firefox Focus, available only for mobile devices like iPhones and Android ...

  7. You can change your iPhone's search engine, but should ...

    So, for starters, here are the search engines that you can pick from in Safari on iOS 17:. Google: The gold standard; Yahoo: The one that wants to make you scream in excitement; Bing: Microsoft's very own competitor to the Big G; DuckDuckGo: The best pick for paranoid web surfers; Ecosia: The one that druids will love, because it actually plants trees; So, all of these are search engines.

  8. Apple considered ditching Google for DuckDuckGo in Safari's private

    In iOS 17, Apple recently made it easier to use alternatives to Google search in the Safari web browser's private browsing mode—but the company considered going even further by making DuckDuckGo ...

  9. Safari vs DuckDuck Go : r/privacy

    For iPhone: Use Safari with Adguard. Every browser on iOS is Safari with a wrapper, so you might as well be using Safari. Plus, Adguard's tracker blocking is better in my experience than the DDG app. For Mac: Use Firefox with uBlock Origin or Safari with Adguard. I cannot advise strongly enough that you should ditch Chrome.

  10. Apple Considered Making DuckDuckGo Default Search Engine in Safari

    Thursday October 5, 2023 12:20 am PDT by Tim Hardwick. Back in 2018, Apple held talks with DuckDuckGo to replace Google as the default search engine in private browsing mode, but ultimately ...

  11. How To Get the DuckDuckGo Safari Extension

    To get that protection, you need to use our extension or browser. Our free web browser is available for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android . It comes with seamless privacy protection built-in, including private search, tracker blocking, increased encryption, email protection, and more. Prior versions on GitHub . The DuckDuckGo extension offers ...

  12. Apple considered DuckDuckGo as an alternative to Google for ...

    The news has come to light within the US government antitrust trial against Google. Testifying to the court, the CEO of DuckDuckGo, Gabriel Weingberg revealed that the firm had been in meetings with Apple in 2018 and 2019 so that the search engine would become the default in Safari's Private Browsing mode.

  13. DuckDuckGo Announces Cross Platform Alternative to Apple's ...

    DuckDuckGo's Email Protection comes as an alternative to Apple's Hide My Email part of iCloud +, allowing users to direct emails for apps, websites, and services to a random ‌‌iCloud ...

  14. The best secure browsers for privacy in 2024

    Most secure browser for tracking protection. View at Mozilla. The Tor browser. Best for anonymous browsing. View at Tor Project. DuckDuckGo. Best mobile browser for privacy and searches. View at ...

  15. The best search engines to use, if you're tired of Google

    Brave Search. Brave's search engine claims to be one of the most private search engines around. It does this by simply not collecting any information about its users at all. Unlike DuckDuckGo ...

  16. How to give Safari a privacy boost with DuckDuckGo Privacy ...

    Apple Vision Pro review: Fascinating, flawed, and needs to fix 5 things; I've tried the top XR headsets. Here's the one most people should buy; ChatGPT vs. ChatGPT Plus: Is the subscription fee ...

  17. Apple considered switching to DuckDuckGo from Google for Safari

    Oct 4 (Reuters) - Apple (AAPL.O) held talks with DuckDuckGo to replace Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google as the default search engine for the private mode on Apple's Safari browser, the Bloomberg News ...

  18. How to use DuckDuckGo: Everything you need to know

    With Brave, open the hamburger menu at the top right and go to Settings > Search Engine. Open the dropdown menu at the top of the page and select DuckDuckGo as your default. The setting to make ...

  19. DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser vs. Safari Comparison

    WARNING: Many users are reporting that CryptoTab does not pay them what they are owed. Try CryptoTab, the world's first browser with mining features and it works on desktop (Windows & Mac) or smartphone (Android & iPhone/iPad). Earn bitcoin without looking up from watching videos, chatting, or gaming online.

  20. DuckDuckGo's Safari Privacy Browser Extension Now Available ...

    Apple has yet to release the first beta of iOS 17.5 for the iPhone, but two changes are already expected with the upcoming software update. iOS 17.5 will likely allow iPhone users in the EU to ...

  21. DuckDuckGo vs Safari

    Following is a table of differences between DuckDuckGo and Safari: DuckDuckGo. Safari. 1. User information tracking is strictly prohibited in DuckDuckGo. It tracks user information to provide personalized results. 2. Indexing of web pages is done using DuckDuckGo bots. Indexing of web pages is done through crawlers.

  22. What's your iPad Pro Browser of Choice?

    Click to expand... As far as I know, Safari on the iPad Pro shows real desktop web pages, just like on the Mac, while on the base iPads, it is still just a mobile browser like the iPhone. And Apple stymies FF and Chrome by making them use webkit. FF and Chrome are not the same on any iPad as it is on PC and Mac.

  23. How To Add DuckDuckGo to Safari on Mobile

    How To Add DuckDuckGo to Safari on Mobile. Did you mean OS X Safari instead? Changing Your Search Engine to DuckDuckGo. Open the Settings app Tap "Safari" Tap "Search Engine" Select "DuckDuckGo" However, please know that if you just use the search engine, we cannot offer our web tracking protections when you visit other web sites. ...

  24. iOS 17.5 Lets EU iPhone Users Download Apps From Websites

    Tuesday April 2, 2024 11:09 am PDT by Juli Clover. Apple today released the first beta of iOS 17.5 to developers, and as expected, the update introduces support for downloading apps from developer ...

  25. iPhone System Data Storage: How to fix

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  26. iPhone 16 Pro Expected Later This Year With These 12 New Features

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