Weeks ago it was announced that Google was in a Chrome Beta the URL in the address bar of the browser hidden so that you could only see the domain name and not the whole URL. The outcry was rightly so, and Google later rowed back: It was only a question of tests. Now Apple is obviously doing exactly the same thing in its next OSX release Yosemite, which presented it at the Developers Conference, but to "compensate" they are installing a sharing option, presumably Facebook/Twitter buttons:
At Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference today the company rolled out a new look for its web browser, Safari. Apple executives didn't point it out, but sharp-eyed observers have noticed one significant change to the interface. The address bar truncates URLs to the domain name level. [...] The updated URL display comes along with new interface elements that — according to Apple — are designed to make sharing websites easier. But the old-fashioned approach of copy-and-pasting the URL into a message now appears to be an extra click away.
From my point of view, these design changes in the browser will have a major impact on sharing culture and media skills in the medium and long term. The former because many users will then assume that sharing works exclusively via the providers' commercial tools and not via Cut'n'Paste via email or blog and the latter because many users then tighten even less how the Internet works. Apple we are not amused! Not cool, Apple!