iPhone 3.0: New Safari Link Options -- Copy, Open in New Page

By Rene Ritchie
last updated

Tap and hold is a multi-touch gesture that Apple introduced into Mobile Safari in iPhone OS 2.0. It triggered a popup a menu that allowed users to Save Image to the camera roll.

In iPhone OS 3.0 it's been given a bit more power. Now, in addition to selecting blocks of text for Copy and Paste, when you tap and hold on a link, you trigger the same type of popup as the Save Image function, but instead you get the URL path for the link and options to Open (in the same page/tab), Open in New Page (tab), or Copy (the URL path).

If the link is also an image, you get all of the above options, with Save Image combined into the mix.

May not seem as sexy as MMS or Stereo Bluetooth but we heart this new functionality. It will make our lives easier, which is what OS updates should do.

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.

23 Comments
  • The is exactly what I've wanted from day one. The only thing it now needs is the RAM to be able to open a page in a new window without clearing out the one I just came from and forcing a reload. If I get that in the next hardware upgrade along with this I will be 99% happy with Safari (Flash being the last holdout).
  • Can't wait to see 3.0!
  • I agree with MattM. I'm so used to opening multiple tabs in my browser. To have a similar functionality in Mobile Safari would be awesome.
  • Wow. The iPhone is really catching up with Windows Mobile! I guess version 4 will finally allow you to download stuff also!
  • Oh yeah, a page down button. Maybe 99% was overstating just a tad :-P
  • Very nice... and MUCH sexier than MMS.
  • Nice! This has been on my wish list for a while. Now just crossing my fingers for a configurable browser cache...
  • That's cool for sure. I'm still waiting on a solution to quickly scroll or jump to the bottom of the web page.
  • ummm RENE, can you register my iphone for the 3.0 software...please:(
  • I've thought about this feature a lot and wonder if apple would add it on their own.
    This phone is becoming more of a smart phone than a feature phone.
    What about the fact that apple locked the page amount to only 8 pages ? If I have the option to open links in new pages I think we will need more pages.
    This is also a sign that we will get new hardware. I think the reason why they locked it at 8 pages is because when too many pages are open it would slow the phone down.
  • Pages no longer reload if you switch between them, and they also load while viewing another page.
  • Are there actual tabs now in Safari, or does the same mechanism exist (as it did in 2.x) to switch between the pages?
  • Rajiv: looks the same as 2.2. Far better performance though, running background pages etc...
  • i loveeee this feature
  • @frog, pages still reload for me :( I am on iPhone 2G, though. Maybe this was a result of a hardware change in 3G?
  • I'm wait for iPhone 3.0!! Guy you know coming iPhone 3.0???
  • Guy you don't know coming 3.0 version?
  • Hey Sylvanus and everyone else! Just want to share that you can easily add this open link in new page and scroll to end and even find word in page right now and without needing to jailbreak.(plus even more stuff) This is been available for a long time I've used it for over 8months u r going to kick you self if you've never heard of it. Here is the link http://ipuhelin.com/en/safariplus/ they call it safari plus. Just follow the directions and you'll have it working in less than a minute. Hint when setting this up:: don't delete javascript keep that word and everything to the right. Also javascript has to be enabled in your settiings.
  • @Frog
    Thanks for the info.
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  • Love u
  • I saw the movie and did not think it was appropriate for my kids :)