Insight Browser: Customizable iOS Browser with Extensions

A New iOS Browser: Insight and its Customizable Extensions

A recently launched startup, Insight, is introducing web browser extensions to iPhones. The primary aim is to enhance the mobile web browsing experience through features like ad and tracker blocking.

Insight’s functionality is delivered via its extensions. These extensions are suggested upon initial app launch, and a broader selection can be explored within the app itself.

Extension Categories and Features

Extensions are categorized for easy discovery, including sections for Search, Shopping, Cooking & Dining, News, Health, and Reading. The browser also learns user preferences and suggests relevant extensions.

Ad Blocking is a key feature, working on platforms like Google, Amazon, Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit. Furthermore, the browser integrates with ReviewMeta to identify potentially inauthentic Amazon reviews.

Other extensions offer functionalities such as enabling dark mode on websites lacking native support, assessing media bias using Media Bias Fact Check, and utilizing picture-in-picture mode for video playback on platforms like YouTube.

Creating Custom Extensions

Currently, Insight boasts around one hundred pre-built extensions. However, the platform also empowers users to create their own, even without coding expertise.

A user-friendly interface, reminiscent of the iOS Shortcuts app, allows for extension definition using simple “if, then” logic. Conditions can be based on URLs or domain lists, triggering actions like displaying alternative pages.

Technical Challenges and Solutions

Implementing these features on mobile presented technical hurdles. Apple’s restrictions on WKWebView limit the capabilities of mobile browsers compared to their desktop counterparts.

Insight overcame this limitation by implementing a “sub-tab” workflow, navigated through swiping gestures. This allows users to seamlessly switch between views, such as product details and available coupons or reviews.

For example, when researching recipes, users can restrict searches to preferred food blogs, simultaneously blocking ads and accessing a reader-friendly view.

The Origins of Insight

The concept for Insight evolved from a previous venture focused on a specialized search engine for medical professionals. This initial project participated in Y Combinator’s winter 2019 program.

The original goal was to filter out unreliable medical content, providing doctors with access to trustworthy sources. However, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted this effort.

“Our user base, primarily medical students, largely disappeared when schools closed and students returned home,” explained Archa Jain, Insight’s co-founder and CEO.

This prompted the team to explore a broader application of their technology.

“We realized the core issue wasn’t specific to medicine. The internet isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience. We envisioned allowing everyone to customize their browsing experience to suit their individual needs,” Jain stated.

The Team and Funding

Insight was developed by a small team led by Jain, who has an engineering background at Google, Uber, and Calico. Co-founders include Abhinav Sharma, formerly of Quora, Mozilla Labs, and Facebook, and Shubhi Nigam, a previous PM at Newgen Software.

The company secured a seed funding round of $1.5 million from Y Combinator, Heartcore Capital, and Altair Capital.

Future Plans

Insight plans to introduce a premium version of the service, building upon the current free offering. Expansion to desktop platforms is also on the roadmap, with the browser functioning as an extension.

Since its beta launch in December 2020, the app’s most active 10% of users average over 1,000 pageviews daily, demonstrating strong user engagement. Prior to launch, it also achieved the top download spot on Airport, a beta app store.

Insight is currently available for free download on the App Store.