Apple today introduced Safari 3, the world’s fastest and easiest-to-use web browser for Macs and Windows PCs. Safari is the fastest browser running on Windows, based on the industry standard iBench tests, rendering web pages up to twice as fast as IE 7 and up to 1.6 times faster than Firefox 2. Safari joins iTunes in delivering Apple’s legendary user experience to both Windows and Mac users as well as full support of open Internet standards. Safari 3 features easy-to-manage bookmarks, effortless browsing with easy-to-organize tabs and a built-in RSS reader to quickly scan the latest news and information. Safari 3 public beta is available today as a free download at http://www.apple.com/safari
“We think Windows users are going to be really impressed when they see how fast and intuitive web browsing can be with Safari,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, in the press release. “Hundreds of millions of Windows users already use iTunes, and we look forward to turning them on to Safari’s superior browsing experience too.”
Safari loads and draws web pages up to twice as fast as Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 and up to 1.6 times faster than Mozilla Firefox 2. The speed of Safari combined with its intuitive user interface lets users spend more time surfing the web and less time waiting for pages to load. Other Safari features now available to Windows users include SnapBack, one-click access to an initial search query; resizable text fields; and private browsing to ensure that information about an individual’s browsing history isn’t stored.
Safari 3 supports all modern Internet standards so users can view websites as they were meant to be seen, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SVG and Java. Safari software updates are delivered seamlessly through Apple’s Software Update application, which automatically checks for updates.
The free public beta of Safari 3 is available immediately as a download at http://www.apple.com/safari and is preview software licensed for use on a trial basis for a limited time. The final version of Safari 3 will be available as a feature in the upcoming Mac OS X version 10.5 Leopard, and will be available as a free download to Mac OS X Tiger and Windows users in October.
Safari 3 for Mac OS X requires Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.9 or later, a minimum of 256MB of memory and is designed to run on any Intel-based Mac or a Mac with a PowerPC G5, G4 or G3 processor and built-in FireWire. Safari 3 for Windows requires Windows XP or Windows Vista, a minimum of 256 MB of memory and a system with at least a 500 MHz Intel Pentium processor.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple offers another glass of ice water to people in hell.
MacDailyNews Note: It will be very interesting to see what this does to Safari’s market share. Net Applications’ Browser Market Share for May, 2007: Microsoft IE – 78.67% , Firefox – 14.54% , Safari – 4.82% , Netscape – 0.83% , Opera – 0.74%
I’m changin my default browser at work!
Safari for Windows is a great move. A taste of macintosh for EVERYONE stuck in the dreary gates of the Windows realm.
I’m downloading mine right now, Mac version that is. Requires a resart? Hmmmmmm.
MDN Magic Word: “Hell”
I rest my case…
Apple probably had to do this because of the iPhone.
In letting developers build iPhone apps inside Safari, they made the iPhone completely Windows-compatible.
Solved many problems in one bold move.
But will it replace firefox’s niche?
yawn
what a faakin non event
God, this is soooo smart. Incredible viral marketing. Infect Windows users with Apple’s style and ease-of-use… watch them wonder if maybe they ought to switch. Brilliant.
Now, as for Safari 3 — it is okay. A nice if not impressive upgrade.
Whoa. Didn’t see this one coming. Watch out for flying chairs.
No wireless. Less space than a nomad. No support for Linux. Lame
Apple.com redesign!!!!! Sorry if im late on this but….Apple.com redesign!!!!!!!
I have seen several comments (on the live WWDC announcement feed) that Safari for Windows and ‘Web 2.0’ for iPhone development are lame, weak, bad idea. I could not disagree more. I have worked in internet development for a long time now, starting with CGI applications written in C and perl, and there is tremendous convergence on the browser as the platform. Most ‘back end’ developers I know are now learning CSS and JavaScript, to keep themselves relevant.
This is a brilliant way to ensure that a) there are a TON of developers for the iPhone, b) development is standards-based and (relatively) easy, and c) push out a ‘virtual iPhone’ platform in the shape of a damn good browser.
I have no doubt that Safari marketshare will jump up, even if it is only gaining traction among developers. (But oh, I wish it supported Firefox extensions.)
Poor old Balmy Balmer. And with Bill Boy leaving the sinking ship, his hair must be falling out right now. Oh wait…
Ballistic Ballmer has graduated to destroying tables, desks and farm animals.
He’s Twister 2.
As much as I love it, I can’t remotely see windows users downloading and using Safari. Most knowing apple users don’t even use safari, regardless of speed tests. Anyone that actually cares and notice opt for Firefox… on both sides.
Wow, the Apple.com redesign is nice.
They’re really going to town with CoverFlow.
Windows for Safari is so that Windows users can sync their bookmarks.. iPhone only uses Safari and there will be a lot of Windows users buying the iPhone.. This way they can sync their bookmarks on their iPhone and their PC just like Mac users can.
Ah Ha!!! As I predicted. I said it made sense from a business model for Apple to release only free software for Windoze (ex. iTunes) and that they should release Safari for Winblows to “come to the rescue of all the poor Winblows users suffering with IE.”
Cool… Safari finally works with Tiny MCE (my guess is FCKEditor will work with it now as well).
Very cool.
“I can’t remotely see windows users downloading and using Safari.”
They will if they buy an iPhone. Just like they downloaded iTunes for Windows by the millions.
I am at once thrilled and angered by this. When you download it, you will notice how complete of a cross platform cocoa they have operating, yet I can’t use it.
I like many other would pay for the ability to do this! I love having Safari, but we all need to beg Apple to release cocoa for windows!
Of course it is open source, so perhaps it is closer than I think!
I’m posting this from a computer near Steve Ballmers office
There was a immediate conference call after the Keynote and some yelling going on.
Oh yes, Apple really pissed them off.
I’ve overheard someone saying they plan to activate the blackhat division to find every exploit possible in SafariWin as to stop the mad rush adoption that’s bound to occur.
Well Apple has thrown the first punch, but it’s the 800lb gorilla’s turn.
No, loading Safari for Winblows does NOT require a restart!
MW: changes – as in man, this heralds some real changes for Windows customers!
I just downloaded the Safari 3 beta for Mac OS, and I have to say it’s pretty lame that we don’t get any of the new features, or even the brushed metal-less window. It’s just the same Safari with an updated rendering engine. Even the Windows users get the new style window.
Two thoughts: 1. It doesn’t synch with .mac bookmarks – how lame. 2. Anybody notice that .mac is no longer in the header of the new apple.com? So much for the hope of .Mac getting a much needed boost today.
I can’t get it to work. Keeps crashing as it tries to go through the company’s servers. That’s not really Apple’s fault, but this never stopped Firefox. Too bad. Hopefully it will improve once it’s out of beta.