Apple may soon track when Google promotes Chrome inside Safari

Apple may soon begin tracking Google's promotional efforts within Safari, as the tech giant tests code that will detect and log interactions with promotional banners for Chrome or the Google app on Safari search pages. This development comes as Apple faces increased regulatory scrutiny over competition with rival browsers, particularly in the UK and EU.

Safari has been injecting a JavaScript script into select Google search result pages to look for promotional banners or elements encouraging users to install Chrome or the Google app. If such a promotion is detected, Safari will log specific events related to the interaction, including whether the user was signed in to a Google account and whether they engaged with the promotion.

Apple has not yet publicly disclosed this feature, but it is believed to be part of the iOS 27.2 beta 3 and Safari 27.2 beta release notes.