Apple Safari

Apple Safari is a web browser developed by Apple Inc. for use on their macOS, iOS, and iPadOS operating systems. It was first released in 2003 for macOS, and later for iOS in 2007 and iPadOS in 2019. Safari is one of the most popular web browsers in the world and has a global market share of approximately 18% as of 2021.

Purpose

Safari is designed to provide users with a fast and secure browsing experience. The browser is optimized for Apple hardware and software, allowing it to take advantage of the latest technologies and hardware features. Safari is also designed to be user-friendly, with a clean and intuitive interface.

Safari is built on the WebKit engine, an open-source web browser engine that was originally created by Apple. The WebKit engine is used in many other popular web browsers, including Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.

One of the key features of Safari is its integration with other Apple products and services. Safari supports iCloud Keychain, which allows users to store and sync their passwords across all their Apple devices. It also supports AirPlay, allowing users to stream media content from their browser to an Apple TV or other AirPlay-enabled device.

Usage

Safari is the default web browser on all Apple devices, including Macs, iPhones, and iPads. Users can download and install the browser from the App Store on iOS devices and the Mac App Store on macOS devices.

Safari provides users with a range of features to improve their browsing experience. These include:

Intelligent Tracking Prevention

Safari’s Intelligent Tracking Prevention feature helps protect users’ privacy by blocking websites from tracking their online activity. This feature uses machine learning to identify and block third-party trackers, which are often used by advertisers to collect data on users’ browsing habits.

Reader View

Safari’s Reader View feature provides users with a simpler, cleaner, and more readable version of web pages. This feature removes ads, sidebars, and other distractions, allowing users to focus on the main content of the page.

Tab Groups

Safari’s Tab Groups feature allows users to organize their tabs into groups, making it easier to manage multiple open tabs. Users can create new tab groups, rename existing ones, and move tabs between groups.

Extensions

Safari supports extensions, which are small software programs that can be installed to add new features and functionality to the browser. Users can download and install extensions from the Safari Extensions Gallery or from third-party websites.

Developer Tools

Safari includes a range of developer tools that allow web developers to inspect and debug their web pages. These tools include the Web Inspector, which allows developers to examine the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript of a page, and the JavaScript Console, which allows developers to test and debug their JavaScript code.

Compatibility

Safari is compatible with a wide range of web technologies, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The browser supports many of the latest web standards, including HTML5, CSS3, and WebAssembly.

Safari also includes support for many web APIs, including the Web Audio API, the Web Speech API, and the Web Bluetooth API. This allows web developers to create rich, interactive web applications that can access a wide range of hardware and software features on Apple devices.

Security

Safari is designed to be a secure web browser, with a range of features to protect users’ privacy and security. These features include:

Privacy Report

Safari’s Privacy Report feature provides users with information about how websites are tracking their online activity. This feature shows users how many trackers are blocked on each website they visit, and provides a breakdown of the types of trackers being used.

Intelligent Tracking Prevention

As mentioned earlier, Safari’s Intelligent Tracking Prevention feature blocks third-party trackers, which are often used by advertisers to collect data on users’ browsing habits. This helps protect users’ privacy by preventing websites from tracking their online activity.

Password Manager

Safari’s Password Manager feature allows users to store and manage their passwords securely. This feature uses strong encryption to protect users’ passwords and allows them to sync their passwords across all their Apple devices using iCloud Keychain.

Anti-Phishing

Safari includes a built-in anti-phishing feature, which helps protect users from fraudulent websites. This feature scans websites for signs of phishing activity, such as fake login pages or suspicious URLs, and warns users if a website appears to be fraudulent.