What's New in Wipr 2.
The Blocker
Blocklist 3.0
Wipr 2 takes full advantage of all the latest features that Safari offers, to block as much as possible in the most efficient and private way.
The blocklist has been unified (no more Parts 1, 2, 3) which makes for quicker setup and less chance of confusion and misconfiguration.
Wipr Extra 2.0
Extra has learned a lot of new tricks, lots of which help with websites that try to circumvent ad blockers.
For example, it can now zap page elements based on their text content, their style, or their children. My favorite new ability is removing scripts embedded in pages before the browser even gets to parse them, like they were never there!
In layman’s terms this means fewer cookie nags, fewer broken pages, and fewer ads – in sites like Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and many others.
Not only is it now easier for me to write rules for Extra, it can also import many rules from community lists automatically. Because of this, at the time of writing, Wipr 2 has over 50 times more Extra rules than Wipr 1, and this number is bound to grow over time.
The App
Design
I’ve redesigned the User Interface from scratch, top to bottom.
The app will display its status instantly on launch: you’ll know right away whether its up to date or a new blocklist is available, or if some error or misconfiguration is detected – in a single sentence.
I wanted to inject some personality wherever it wouldn’t interfere with functionality, and I think I’ve struck the right balance.
There’s a lot more here than in Wipr 1, and some of the changes are better experienced than explained, so I encourage you to try it for yourself.
Accessibility
Wipr 2 supports every accessibility feature I’m aware of, with specific work for the following:
- VoiceOver
- Voice Control
- Text Size (also known as Dynamic Type)
- Increased Contrast
- Dim Flashing Lights
- Reduce Motion
The screenshot above shows how the same screen appears with default settings and with some accessibility features turned on (larger text size, increased contrast, bold text).
Live Help Topics
The Help screen features live Help Topics, which I can update remotely without releasing a new update in the App Store. They provide answers to common questions, but most importantly they include current issues: if there’s an unresolved issue on a popular website, you’ll find all the info you need immediately in the app – no need to search the web or contact me.
Diagnostics
Common misconfigurations will be automatically detected by the app, which will then communicate them to you non-intrusively, clearly explain their consequences, and provide step-by-step instructions on how to fix them.
Issue Reporting 2.0
The app features a whole new system for issue reporting that doesn’t use e-mail. You are free to decide whether to share your e-mail address (so I can write back), or even your name. All data sent is stored on my server, shared with nobody, and deleted as soon as it’s served its purpose – which to be clear, is exclusively to get the issue fixed.
You can report website issues almost effortlessly directly from Safari, with the Action Extension. Just tap share, then “Report an Issue on This Page”. All that’s required is a short description of what the issue is.
Business Model
Same as always, Wipr will be a paid app and won’t require a subscription; there will be optional one-time and recurring tips (there are yearly tips now too, which some users might prefer).
Wipr 2 is a universal app, so purchasing it once will allow you to install it on all your devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision).
If it’s technically possible (which I believe it will be), there will be upgrade pricing for Wipr 1 users. Even if someone purchases Wipr 1 a short time before 2 is released, they won’t lose anything.
Under the Hood
Wipr 2 was rewritten almost from scratch using all the latest technologies: from SwiftUI all the way down to the latest iteration of the Content Blocking Extension API.
This is why Wipr 2 requires iOS 17 or macOS 14 Sonoma. Users who can’t or won’t upgrade will still be able to use Wipr 1 for the foreseeable future.
Wipr 2 is a Catalyst app. This not only makes development quicker and distribution simpler, but it sidesteps a TON of macOS quirks that make the Mac version harder to use.
About Wipr 2 Beta
Wipr 2 Beta is available for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision. Sign up on TestFlight!
- As with all betas, things can break. In this case it’s mostly because of iOS bugs that, for all I know, might never get fixed.
- I do not know how long the beta period will be.
- You can, and should, uninstall Wipr 1 after installing Wipr 2 beta. Or even before!
What’s Next
Check out the roadmap.