Apple today pushed the iOS 15/iPadOS 15 developer preview Beta 5 update (internal version number: 19A5318f) to iPhone and iPad users. This update is two weeks after the last release. As we get closer and closer to the final version of iOS 15 in September, this update only brought some minor changes to the operating system. However, an interesting detail about the latest iOS 15 Beta 5 is that it adds support for the WebM audio codec to the Safari browser.
This feature is considered experimental and can be enabled or disabled by entering the advanced settings of Safari. Confirmed by the internal code of iOS 15 Beta 5, this option should be enabled by default from now on. The WebM audio codec is part of the open media file format created by Google in 2010. It also includes the WebM video codec and WebP image extensions. Apple has never been interested in adopting WebP and WebM formats in the past because Steve Jobs once said that Google’s codecs area mess.
Apple has finally added support for the WebP image format to the Safari browser of iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur. Another update of Safari 14 on macOS also added support for the WebM video codec, but this was never added to the iOS version of Safari. Now, with the WebM audio codec available in iOS, it may only be a matter of time before Apple adds WebM video support to its mobile operating system.
The new iOS 15 Safari browser has been completely redesigned, with a floating navigation bar on the iPhone and a new tab bar on the iPad. The new design is quite controversial. Since the iOS 15 Beta 1 beta, Apple has made several changes to the Safari browser. The official version of iOS 15 is expected to be released to all compatible iPhone users this fall. You can try the iOS 15 Beta by joining the Apple Beta Software Program.
