When it comes to web browsing there are numerous options available. Choosing a Safari browser among them is one of the finest options. Safari has become the preferred choice for many internet users because of its sleek design and user-friendly interface.
Safari is a high-performance web browser. It was developed by Apple Inc and was first released in 2003 for Macintosh computers. It is the default browser for macOS. Safari is more than just a simple web browser. It allows its users to view links, and access their saved passwords and credit cards. It even allows them to pay for services and goods through Apple Pay.
This article dives into the Safari browser online, its features, and benefits for users.
Understanding the Safari web browser
Safari developed by Apple is a free web browser. It is Apple’s native browser. The name Safari refers to the spirit of exploration. The company wanted to give the same spirit to the browser. It comes pre-installed with all Apple computers. It is built into Apple’s Operating Systems and uses Apple’s open-source browser engine WebKit.
Safari was originally designed for Mac OS but has been ported to Windows and iOS. The iOS version of Safari differs from the OSX version as it has a different GUI, API, and Webkit version.
Safari is like any other popular browser. Users can bookmark favorites, browse websites, and open multiple sites in tabs. Built using the WebKit engine, Safari was one the first browsers to support the new HTML 5 standard. After getting an idea about the Safari web browser let us know its features and benefits.
Why use the Safari web browser?
Safari, the default browser for Apple for years is the best way to experience the internet on all Apple devices. It has powerful customization options and privacy protections. It optimizes battery life. It allows users to browse how and when they like. Being the world’s fastest browser it provides great speed.
Safari works flawlessly with and syncs with bookmarks, passwords, and history tabs. Mac, iOS, or iPadOS devices when close to each other can automatically pass what the user is doing in Safari from one device to another. This can be done using Handoff. It preserves battery life better than Chrome and Firefox. PiP, better 1Password integration, Apple Pay, etc provided by Safari are more than nice features.
Safari works well across all macOS devices. It keeps a record of the websites users visit and allows them to search their history to find a previously used page. It is optimized with Apple’s hardware and software. Safari offers a wide range of built-in features. These features prove to be convenient for users and provide a smooth and aesthetically pleasing browser.
Apple regularly updates Safari to ensure users receive the latest performance improvements, security patches, and features.
Features of Safari
Being developed for many years Safari offers a broad range of features. It allows synchronizing with the cloud, using the Download Manager, and launching the private browsing mode. Safari also changes the default search engine, converts web pages into PDFs, enables reader mode, and hides IP (Internet Protocol) from trackers. Apart from these some key features of Safari are mentioned below:
- Privacy protection- Safari has a strong emphasis on users’ privacy. It has features like ITP (Intelligent Tracking Protection) that block third-party trackers and prevent websites from collecting data about the users’ browsing habits. Safari is the only browser on the internet with no built-in option to track the user. It sends warning messages to users when they load any insecure page on Safari.
- Faster browsing- Safari known for its speed loads web pages rapidly, renders graphics, and tests efficiently. It is optimized for Apple devices and provides a fast browsing experience with low energy consumption.
- Intelligent tracking prevention- Safari has stopped supporting cookies for domains with cross-site tracking abilities. Safari’s improved intelligent tracking prevention limits long-term tracking. It is based on client-side first-party cookies and verifies partitioned cache entries. There are numerous tracking methods, but Safari is constantly updated to combat active trailing. Users may encounter trackers embedded in images, hidden pixels, or social media buttons on any page they visit. These trackers generate an advertising profile so companies like Facebook and Google can show users relevant ads.
- Reader mode- This feature of Safari leaves only the main content or easy reading by stripping away clutters from web pages.
- AirPlay- It is Apple’s exclusive protocol suite. It allows the user to stream between devices of video, audio, photos, and device screens. This feature is also available on the Safari web browser.
- Sandboxing- A web page is a series of text and images rendered using a basic code. When a webpage needs to execute code using the CPU on the user’s computer, it can run arbitrary code hidden within the page. In Safari, each tab is completely isolated from the other. This ensures that any malicious code executed from one tab cannot affect other tabs or apps outside Safari. It would crash the tab or force the system to warn users about the webpage executing an action.
- Password monitoring- Safari has a built-in password manager that monitors the user’s saved passwords and recommends strong and unique passwords.
- Tab groups- This feature organizes the opened tabs into groups. This makes it easier to manage and navigate through multiple websites. Users can attach specific tab groups to different Focus Modes for more customization. This means that the relevant tab group will appear when Safari is opened with Focus mode.
- MedSupport- Support for simulcast and VP8 in Web has been added to support multi-party video conferencing. It also has enabled cross-browser Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) by adding APIs without the WebKit prefix.
- Dark mode for the web- Safari browsers provide the ability to enable color scheme customization of websites even in dark mode. This dark mode feature makes the browser more calm and comfortable by changing the color of the web making it more accessible to read at night.
- Fingerprinting protection- Websites use devices’s signatures to render a page correctly. A web page can easily render content tailored to the device by requesting the current screen size, model, browser, IP address, and operating system. Apple offers sites a simplified version with a random identifier, instead of allowing the page to access all the information.
- Auto-fill- When a user is presented with a field, Safari surfaces auto-fill suggestions using information from Contacts and Calendars. Auto-fill extends to passwords stored in the iCloud Password or third-party password services. If a password is requested for the first time when signing up for an account, Safari automatically generates a strong password and stores it in the cloud.
- Customizability- Safari allows users to customize with extensions. This enhances the browsing experience by adding functionality.
- Power saver mode- Safari optimizes energy consumption by reducing the browser’s impact on battery life. This feature is useful for mobile devices like iPads and iPhones.
- VoiceOver support- Safari provides comprehensive accessibility features. One of the features is VoiceOver screen reader support. It is for users with visual impairments.
Benefits of Safari for users
Safari offers various benefits. These benefits are attractive options for people integrated into the Apple system, making it the most popular choice among users. Some of its benefits are mentioned below:
Blocked cross-site tracking- Cross-site tracking means that companies track users’ activities across multiple websites. The Safari browser lets users enable protection against it. Cookies are deleted. It is done unless users interact with third-party content suppliers.
Robust security features- Safari browser protects the users’ online activities with its wholesome security feature. It incorporates various measures to safeguard user’s personal information and protect them from malicious websites. It also generates warnings to users associated with potential phishing scams and blocks intrusive ads.
Furthermore, Safari’s Intelligent Tracking Potential feature helps prevent advertisers from tracking users’ online behavior without their consent. The Intelligent Tracking Potential also features limits to cross-site tracking by default. It provides a Privacy report that shows which trackers have been blocked on each website users visit.
Private Relay- The Safari browser features a VPN-like structure. It prevents ISPs and even Apple from seeing what users do online. However, the private relay is only available to iCloud+ subscribers. Safari Private Relay provides greater privacy while browsing the web with Apple’s browser.
Lightning-fast speed- Safari’s lightning-fast speed allows users to browse the web without experiencing delays and interruptions. It utilizes advanced caching techniques to store frequently visited websites locally on the device. This caching allows quicker access to these websites in the future. It even significantly reduces loading time. Additionally, Safari’s JavaScript engine executes code efficiently. This makes complex web applications run seamlessly.
Seamless compatibility with Apple devices- Safari’s iCloud integration lets users browse on their iPhones while on the go. This enhances productivity and provides a smooth browsing experience across various devices. Safari is upgraded to work seamlessly with other Apple services. Services may include Apple Pay and Keychain password manager. These integrations make online payment secure and effortless. It also ensures that the passwords are securely stored and readily available when needed.
Innovative tools for enhanced Web browsing- Apart from speed and security Safari browser offers some inventive tools. These tools enhance the overall web browsing experience. One such feature is Reader Mode, which allows users to enjoy distraction-free reading by removing unnecessary clutters and ads from web pages. Its translation feature is also useful when accessing websites written in foreign languages or traveling to a different country.
Utilizing Safari Browser on Cloud Platform
In addition to the above, there is a great need for accurate compatibility checks. The testers need to test their web application to ensure it is error-free. Also, it should be tested to provide a better user experience. Using cloud platforms like LambdaTest, users can test their web applications across the most recognized web browsers, such as Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox, Opera, and Internet Explorer.
LambdaTest is an AI-powered test orchestration and execution platform that is used to run both manual as well as automated tests at scale. The platform allows users to perform real-time and automation testing across 3000+ environments and real mobile devices.
Being a scalable testing platform it brings the user’s application assessment needs to the cloud infrastructure. Web application or website compatibility across almost every browser can be ensured by real-time LambdaTest tests. It also enables its users to take full screenshots while performing the testing.
LambdaTest offers Safari Browser testing on macOS virtual machines as a part of its cross-browser testing platform. It supports live interactive testing along with automated testing across various Safari versions.
Conclusion
Safari browser offers various benefits for internet users. Its robust security features protect users from online threats, whereas its lightning-fast speed ensures an uninterrupted browsing experience. Its seamless compatibility with Apple devices adds convenience for those in the Apple ecosystem.
The amazing features and benefits help users in many ways making it a popular choice among them. Safai is like a pocket-friendly friend who does the tasks rapidly.
Hope this article helps you with the knowledge of features and benefits of the Safari web browser.