Apple Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Apple Wiki

Safari is a web browser designed and distributed by Apple Inc. Released in 2003 with Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther), it replaced Microsoft Internet Explorer as the default browser for systems running on Mac OS X (now macOS). Safari would later be brought onto the iOS and iPadOS platforms. Safari was also made available for Windows until May 9, 2012.

Rather than simultaneously open a number of windows like other Internet browsers at the time, Safari allows you to have a set of tabs within one window. (You can still open and use multiple windows if you prefer.) Safari was also one of the first browsers to support pop-up window blocking. The default search engine is Google.

Safari has been marketed as the best browser available with an emphasis on speed and privacy. It has also been claimed to be the most secure browser on the market. As of 2021, Safari has overtaken Firefox and Internet Explorer in global market share, second only to Chrome.[1]

Version History[]

Safari 1[]

Safari 1 was released on January 7, 2003. Despite the fact it was meant to replace Internet Explorer for Macs, IE wasn't discontinued until June that year. It is unknown why. Safari 1 features a search bar and an address bar and is fully customizable. Safari 1 was the first web browser to feature tabs.

Safari 2[]

Safari 2 was released with Mac OS X 10.4 on April 29, 2005 and was the default browser for the operating system. Safari 2.0 experienced many errors and bugs so Apple quickly released Safari 2.0.2 on October 31, 2005 and included the modifications to pass the Acid2 test.

Safari 3[]

Safari 3 was released on January 9, 2007, the same day as the iPhone was announced. Safari 3 was released for Microsoft Windows XP and Vista. Apple also announced a mobile version of Safari for iOS for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Safari 3 for Windows experienced more bugs than ever after it's release in June 2007, but these bugs were fixed on June 14, 2007. Apple also shortly released Safari 3.0.2 for Microsoft Windows computers to address more bugs.

Safari 4[]

Apple-Safari-logo

Icon of Safari 4

On June 2, 2008, Safari's WebKit browser engine received a faster new JavaScript interpreter code-named "SquirrelFish".[2] This was incorporated in a beta version of Safari 4 for iOS, Mac OS X, and Microsoft Windows on June 11, 2008. Safari 4 was publicly released for all 3 operating systems on February 24, 2009. Safari 4 added new features like a 3D wall which displays all the sites you have visited often and recently. Apple included Safari 4 for the iPad when it was released in 2010. The only changes on the iPad compared to the iPhone and iPod Touch is that the iPad version is in HD and features tabs.

Safari 5[]

Safari 5 was released on June 7, 2010. New features include a reading tool so you can read on the web without ads. Safari 5 also features a new widescreen HD look on Mac OS X Lion similar to the iPad. Apple released Safari 5 for Microsoft Windows along with the reading list and a faster web experience.

Safari 6[]

Safari 6 was announced at Apple's WWDC 2012 on June 11 and said that it will finally feature iCloud and it will be released with OS X Mountain Lion. Safari 6 was expected to be called Safari 5.2 before it was announced but it is named what it is named. The last upcoming feature for Safari 6 is that it will be able to "pick up" where you last left off.

It is also the last version that is compatible with Windows.

Sfri

Safari in iOS 7

Safari 7[]

Safari 7 was included with OS X Mavericks and iOS 7. For the iOS version, the UX has changed to match iOS 7'S UX redesign.

Safari 8[]

Safari Yosemite icn

Safari 8 from OS X Yosemite

Safari 8 was included with OS X Yosemite and iOS 8. It included UX changes to match OS X Yosemite.

Safari 9[]

Safari 9 was included with OS X El Capitan and iOS 9.

Safari 10[]

Safari 10 was included with macOS Sierra and iOS 10.

Safari 11[]

Safari 11 was included with macOS High Sierra and iOS 11.

Safari 12[]

Safari 12 was included with macOS Mojave and iOS 12.

Safari 13[]

Safari 13 was included with macOS Catalina, iOS 13 andiPadOS 13.

Safari 14 icon

Icon of Safari 14

Safari 14[]

Safari 14 was included with macOS Big Sur (version 11), iOS 14, and iPadOS 14. It featured UX changes to match with macOS Big Sur.

Safari 15[]

Safari 15 was included with macOS Monterey (version 12), iOS 15, and iPadOS 15. It includes an new toolbar that matches the webpage header depending on the website and a cleaner design.

Safari 16[]

Safari 16 was included with macOS Ventura (version 13), iOS 16, and iPadOS 16.

References[]

  1. Global market share held by leading internet browsers from January 2012 to December 2021 by Lionel Sujay Vailshery, Statista. 2022-02-21.
  2. Announcing SquirrelFish by Geoffrey Garen, WebKit. 2008-06-02.

External Links[]

Advertisement